Drone Rules for San Pedro Parks Wilderness

Name: San Pedro Parks Wilderness
Address: Coyote, NM 87012, USA, La Jara, nm, us

La Jara, New Mexico (nm) • United States

Coyote, NM 87012, USA

Lat: 36.0939 • Lng: -106.813

Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026

Summary

Drone operations are strictly prohibited in San Pedro Parks Wilderness under USFS Wilderness regulations, controlled by the U.S. Forest Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit USFS Special Use Permit. One of the least-visited designated wilderness areas in New Mexico, San Pedro

Authorization Status

Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFS Special Use Permit
Wilderness: ❌ Wilderness Act absolute motorized equipment ban

Geographic Boundaries

San Pedro Parks Wilderness is located in Rio Arriba and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico, within Santa Fe National Forest.

Total area: ~41,132 acres
Coordinates: 36.2833° N, 106.8500° W
Includes San Pedro Parks high plateau (~10,000 ft MSL), old-growth Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir forest, and headwaters of the Río Cebolla and Río de las Vacas
Nearest city: Cuba, NM (~15 miles southwest)

Regulations

Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute prohibition on all motorized equipment including UAS
36 CFR § 261.10 — USFS prohibition on motorized equipment
36 CFR § 251.50 — USFS Special Use Permit requirements
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects Mexican spotted owl and other sensitive species in old-growth habitat
FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within wilderness

Penalties

Wilderness Act violations: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
USFS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 36 CFR § 261.10
MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance
FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
Equipment confiscation by USFS rangers

Special Permissions

USFS Wilderness research permit from Cuba Ranger District
Wildlife research requires additional USFWS MBTA coordination Submit requests to: USFS Cuba Ranger District, PO Box 130, Cuba, NM 87013

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Rule sources

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-251/section-251.50 — Wilderness Act prohibitions under 16 U.S.C. § 1131, USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, MBTA Mexican spotted owl habitat protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all drone operations within San Pedro Parks Wilderness boundaries.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — Wilderness Act prohibitions under 16 U.S.C. § 1131, USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, MBTA Mexican spotted owl habitat protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all drone operations within San Pedro Parks Wilderness boundaries.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — Wilderness Act prohibitions under 16 U.S.C. § 1131, USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, MBTA Mexican spotted owl habitat protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all drone operations within San Pedro Parks Wilderness boundaries.
https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — Wilderness Act prohibitions under 16 U.S.C. § 1131, USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, MBTA Mexican spotted owl habitat protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all drone operations within San Pedro Parks Wilderness boundaries.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-261/section-261.10 — Wilderness Act prohibitions under 16 U.S.C. § 1131, USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, MBTA Mexican spotted owl habitat protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all drone operations within San Pedro Parks Wilderness boundaries.

Parent Rule Pages

United States
New Mexico
la-jara
San Pedro Parks Wilderness