From field trips to family reunions, picnics to photography workshops, there are many reasons that you might decide to bring a larger group out to explore Pecos National Historical Park.
Note that, if you will be conducting commercial activities in the park, it doesn’t matter what size your group is—you will need a Commercial Use Authorization regardless! Visit the Commercial Use Authorization page for the definition of "commercial activities" and more information about this.
What counts as a group?
We ask that you get in touch with us in advance of your visit if any of the following apply:
You are planning to arrive in a bus or in more than ten separate vehicles.
Your group is larger than 15 people.
You are planning to advertise your visit to Pecos NHP to a specific audience (e.g. meet-up group, listserv, organization, school group, etc.)
You believe you might fall under the requirements for a Commercial Use Authorization or Special Use Permit.
We are a small park, with limited facilities and parking. Contacting us in advance will allow us to better support you during your visit, suggest appropriate activities for your group, and help you determine if you need any additional permit or authorization.
What groups need a permit?
There is no entry fee for Pecos National Historical Park.
If you will be bringing a group as part of a commercial activity (i.e. by bringing a group to the park, you will be generating income), please visit the Commercial Use Authorization page to learn more about relevant requirements. In addition, certain activities--such as hosting an event or wedding, staging a demonstration, etc.--may require a Special Use Permit. You can learn more about these permits on the Special Use Permit page.
If you are a) not conducting a commercial activity, b) planning to only be in publicly-accessible areas of the park and c) pursuing typical visitor activities (e.g. hiking, picnicking, attending a ranger tour, visiting the museum, etc.), you likely do not need an additional permit. However, please still contact us, as described above!
What can I do with my group?
Visit the Things to Do page for information about how people typically explore the park. For information about visiting as a school group specifically, please see the Education page.
Note that we are rarely able to accommodate requests for special or additional ranger programs. However, you are welcome to join any of our public programs; you can find upcoming offerings on our program calendar. In addition, self-guided tour booklets ($2) are available in the visitor center.
There is parking, a picnic area, and bathrooms both at the visitor center and by the Mission Church. It is approximately a 0.3-mile (0.5-kilometer) walk, or a one-minute drive, between the two locations. Please visit the accessibility page for relevant planning information. We unfortunately cannot reserve picnic areas, parking spaces, or indoor space for your group—so be prepared to be flexible!
