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Drone Rules for Santa Fe National Forest

Los Alamos, New Mexico (nm) • United States
Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
Lat: 35.941 • Lng: -106.276
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited within the Pecos Wilderness and all Special Management Areas of Santa Fe National Forest under U.S. Forest Service regulations, managed by the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without a USFS Special Use Permit. The Pecos W

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned (wilderness and Special Management Areas)
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFS Special Use Permit
  • Wilderness Layer: ⚠️ Wilderness Act 16 U.S.C. § 1131 — motorized prohibition
  • ESA Layer: ⚠️ New Mexico meadow jumping mouse — federally endangered; ESA Section 9 take prohibition active in riparian zones

Geographic Boundaries

Pecos Wilderness is located in San Miguel, Mora, and Santa Fe Counties, New Mexico, administered jointly by Santa Fe National Forest and Carson National Forest, USFS.

  • Total area: ~223,667 acres
  • Coordinates: 35.8300° N, 105.6500° W
  • Nearest city: Santa Fe, NM (~25 miles southwest); Las Vegas, NM (~30 miles east)
  • Terrain: Sangre de Cristo Mountains southern terminus; Truchas Peak summit at 13,102 ft MSL (second highest peak in New Mexico); alpine tundra, subalpine spruce-fir forest, high-elevation lakes, Pecos River headwaters
  • New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus) — federally endangered; active riparian willow and sedge habitat throughout wilderness
  • Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) — federally threatened; old-growth forest nesting habitat present
  • Designated wilderness 1933 (USFS administrative); incorporated into National Wilderness Preservation System 1964 (P.L. 88-577)
  • High-density-altitude environment: most operations above 10,000 ft MSL
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G

Regulations

  • 36 CFR § 261.10 — prohibits unauthorized aircraft use in National Forest wilderness and Special Management Areas
  • 36 CFR § 251.50 — Special Use authorization requirements
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — prohibits all mechanized and motorized equipment; drone operations violate wilderness character mandate
  • Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) Section 9 — New Mexico meadow jumping mouse take prohibition; drone overflights of riparian zones during active season (May–October) constitute harassment = take
  • ESA Section 9 — Mexican spotted owl nesting disturbance = take; active nest site buffers enforced by USFS
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — broad spectrum of protected species including boreal owl, northern goshawk, and golden eagle
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — Ancestral Puebloan high-altitude hunting camps and resource extraction sites
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • High-density-altitude performance degradation above 10,000 ft MSL must be factored into any permit application

Penalties

  • USFS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 36 CFR § 261.10
  • Wilderness Act violations: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • ESA Section 9 (jumping mouse): civil penalties up to $25,000; criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment per incident
  • ESA Section 9 (spotted owl): same penalty structure
  • MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by USFS rangers

Special Permissions

  • USFS Special Use Permit required; ESA Section 7 biological assessment mandatory for any permit application in riparian or old-growth zones
  • USFWS coordination required for jumping mouse and spotted owl seasonal buffer compliance
  • ARPA federal research permit for high-altitude archaeological site documentation
  • High-density-altitude performance analysis required for all permit applications Submit requests to: Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor's Office, 11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508 USFWS ESA coordination: New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113
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Rule sources
  • https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-251/section-251.50 — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-261/section-261.10 — USFS regulations under 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131), ESA Section 9 New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl take prohibitions (16 U.S.C. § 1531), MBTA high-elevation species protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), and ARPA Ancestral Puebloan site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations within Pecos Wilderness, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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