Visiting a park is always therapeutic and can leave you feeling rejuvenated. If you are visiting Las Cruces in New Mexico and wondering if there are any parks you can pay a visit, fortunately, there are a number of parks you can visit.
Here are some of the best national parks located in or near Las Cruces, many of which provide greater opportunities for exploring the native ecosystems of the Great Plains region.
Dripping Springs Natural Area
The Dripping Springs Natural Area located in Las Cruces has over four miles of easy hiking trails that include the Dripping Springs Trail, which boasts desert scrub and oak woodlands. In addition, this area boasts great wildlife viewing opportunities, such as all-year-round viewing of a red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, rock squirrel, Gambel’s quail, etc. You are also more likely to see a ladder-backed woodpecker, lesser nighthawk, desert cottontail, tree lizard, black-tailed gnatcatcher, etc. Dripping Springs Natural Area operates every day, apart from on holidays, such as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Aguirre Spring Recreation Area And Campground
Organ Mountain’s high wall and needle-like spires curve melodramatically around a semicircle of the Chihuahuan Desert Habitat at the Aguirre Spring Campground, which is snuggled at the base of fantastic cliffs and overlook the White Sands National Park and Tularosa Basin. There are plenty of plant species available here, including mountain mahogany, gray oak, sotol, and alligator juniper.
The campground has about 55 sites that are available on a first come first served basis. It also has two group sites. And the best thing is that all of these sites have a shade, grill, picnic table, and tent pad.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
This national monument was established to protect significant geological, biological, prehistoric, and historic resources of scientific interest. It includes four areas: the Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Doña Ana Mountains, and Potrillo Mountains.
Located adjacent to and on the east side of Las Cruces, this mountain provides visitors opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, photography, and camping. The Potrillo Mountains are typically the most remote part of the monument. It is located southwest of Las Cruces.
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
The monument was established in 2009 to protect, conserve, and promote the unique and nationally significant scientific, scenic, paleontological, educational, and recreational resources and values of the Robledo mountains of Doña Ana Country, New Mexico.
The trackways contain footprints of so many reptiles, amphibians, insects, plants, etc. The Monument also contains one of the most significant Early Permian track sites in the entire world.
The best part is that this Monument provides visitors greater chances for hiking, photography, horseback riding, etc. What’s more, visitors can drive their cars off the highway in sections of the monument. However, it is worth mentioning that viewing Trackway fossils is limited.
