The Peña Blanca WSA is located in the south-central portion of New Mexico on the eastern edge of Las Cruces. The Peña Blanca rock shelters are the site of the earliest known cultivated corn in the United States, a primitive variety with eight rows of kernels.

Per the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act which became law on March 12, 2019, this web page is currently being updated. To find more information on the new wilderness areas in New Mexico created by the Act, please visit:Wilderness Connect

From Interstate 10, approximately 11 miles south of Las Cruces, take exit 151 and drive northeast on County Road B059 approximately 4.7 miles to the southwestern boundary of the WSA. From this point, the road forms the southern boundary of the WSA for approximately 2.1 miles.