Gila Wilderness

Gila Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. Designated on June 3, 1924, it was the first area in the world to receive a formal wilderness designation. The wilderness spans 558,014 acres, extending roughly 27 miles from north to south and 39 miles from east to west. It contains sections of the Gila River, with riverside elevations near 4,850 feet marking its lowest point, while the Mogollon Mountains cross the area and rise to Whitewater Baldy at 10,895 feet, the tallest peak in the wilderness. It is managed by the United States Forest Service and classified under IUCN protected area category Ib.