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Drone Rules for Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

Tularosa, New Mexico (nm) • United States
455 3 Rivers Rd, Tularosa, NM 88352, USA
Lat: 33.345 • Lng: -106.008
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Three Rivers Petroglyph Site under BLM regulations, controlled by the Bureau of Land Management — Roswell Field Office. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without a BLM Special Recreation Permit. The site contains over 21,000 individual petroglyphs carved by

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without BLM Special Recreation Permit
  • Archaeological Layer: ⚠️ ARPA maximum enforcement — 21,000+ petroglyphs, active BLM law enforcement presence
  • Military Proximity: ⚠️ WSMR R-5107 restricted airspace ~8 miles southwest; NOTAMs may extend temporary restrictions over site without notice

Geographic Boundaries

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is located in Otero County, New Mexico, administered by the BLM Roswell Field Office.

  • Total area: ~711 acres
  • Coordinates: 33.3897° N, 105.8408° W
  • Nearest city: Tularosa, NM (~17 miles south); Carrizozo, NM (~18 miles north)
  • Terrain: basaltic ridgeline rising above Tularosa Basin; petroglyph-covered lava flow escarpment stretching ~1 mile; partially excavated Mogollon pit house village at northern end of site
  • Contains 21,000+ individual petroglyphs depicting humans, animals, plants, masks, and geometric designs — densest concentration of Jornada Mogollon rock art in existence
  • Jornada Mogollon occupation: ~900–1400 CE
  • White Sands Missile Range R-5107 restricted areas begin ~8 miles southwest
  • Active WSMR test schedules may trigger NOTAMs affecting local airspace
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G
  • Base elevation: ~5,300 ft MSL

Regulations

  • BLM UAS Policy IM 2015-122 prohibits unauthorized drone operations on BLM lands
  • 43 CFR § 8360.0-7 — Aircraft use restrictions on BLM-managed lands
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — 21,000+ petroglyphs and pit house village constitute one of the largest ARPA-protected rock art complexes under BLM jurisdiction in the United States; BLM law enforcement officers conduct regular patrols specifically for ARPA violations
  • National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — site listed on National Register of Historic Places
  • 14 CFR § 73.3 — WSMR R-5107 restricted airspace proximity; active NOTAMs may extend temporary restrictions without notice
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — raptor nesting on basaltic ridgeline outcrops
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

Penalties

  • BLM fines up to $1,000 per violation under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7
  • ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment (first offense); up to $100,000 + 5 years (second offense); BLM actively prosecutes ARPA violations at this site — documented enforcement history
  • NHPA civil penalties for damage to registered historic property
  • R-5107 incursion: federal criminal charges under 49 U.S.C. § 46307
  • MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful violations
  • Equipment confiscation by BLM law enforcement rangers

Special Permissions

  • BLM Special Recreation Permit required; ARPA compliance plan must be submitted with permit application
  • Mandatory NOTAM check before every operation: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp
  • ARPA federal research permit + tribal consultation (Mescalero Apache Tribe and other affiliated tribes) required for any petroglyph documentation flight
  • DoD coordination with WSMR Public Affairs recommended for operations within 10 miles of R-5107 boundary Submit requests to: BLM Roswell Field Office, 2909 W 2nd Street, Roswell, NM 88201 Mescalero Apache Tribe: Mescalero Apache Tribal Offices, 101 Central Avenue, Mescalero, NM 88340
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Rule sources
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-73 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/chapter-II/part-8360 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, ARPA protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) for 21,000+ Jornada Mogollon petroglyphs under active BLM enforcement, NHPA historic register listing (54 U.S.C. § 300101), FAA R-5107 WSMR proximity under 14 CFR § 73.3, and MBTA raptor nesting protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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