Las Cruces

Join me to explore the Las Cruces area. Nearby are two interesting places to visit. They are Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and Dripping Springs Natural Area. By exploring/hiking this area in September we will be avoiding the hot weather. The weather in September should be pleasant.

There are many different options on where to stay. You can choose to stay in a hotel, RV park, Airbnb, or family. There are numerous dining options in Las Cruces.

Itinerary:

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 – leave to Las Cruces. It’s up to each individual on where to stay.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 – we will be going to Aguirre Spring and hiking the Pine Tree trail a moderate four (4) mile hike. We will meet at the South end of the Sam’s club parking lot at 9 am. From there we will drive to the Aguirre Spring Recreation area. If interested, you can carpool to Aguirre Spring or you can choose to follow the group to Aguirre Spring.

Information on Aguirre Spring
The high wall, needle-like spires of the Organ Mountains curve dramatically around a semicircle of Chihuahuan Desert habitat at the Aguirre Spring Campground. The campground, nestled at the base of spectacular cliffs, overlooks the Tularosa Basin and White Sands National Park. Alligator juniper, gray oak, mountain mahogany and sotol are a few of the abundant plant species here. Seasonal springs and streams occur in the canyon bottoms, with a few perennial springs that support riparian habitats.

The Aguirre Spring Recreation area includes a scenic drive along Aguirre Spring Road, two National Recreation Trails and a campground. Baylor Pass Trail is a six-mile (one way) trail that traverses the Organ Mountains from east to west. Pine Tree Trail is a 4-mile loop trail.
The Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and Campground is located on the east side of Organ Mountains, east of Las Cruces in Dona Ana County. Take U.S. 70 for 14 miles east of the I-25/U.S. 70 interchange in Las Cruces, then turn south on the Aguirre Spring Road (1.1 miles after San Augustine Pass) for six miles. At mile 4 the road becomes a one-way loop and climbs steeply.

Thursday, September 10, 2026 – We will be driving to the Dripping Springs Natural Area. We will meet at the Home Depot at 225 S. Telshor Blvd. at the Northwest corner of the Home Depot parking lot at 9 am.

Information on Dripping Springs
The Dripping Springs Natural Area has over four miles of easy hiking trails, including the Dripping Springs Trail, which shows off desert scrub and low elevation pinon-juniper and oak woodlands. The area also boasts excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, including excellent year-round viewing of red-tailed hawk, Gambel's quail, golden eagle and rock squirrel. It offers very good year-round viewing of desert mule deer and coyote. Also watch for black-throated sparrow, ladder-backed woodpecker, verdin, black-tailed gnatcatcher, lesser nighthawk, Scott's oriole, cactus wren, desert cottontail, and collared and tree lizard in the spring and summer.
The Dripping Springs Natural Area is located 10 miles east of Las Cruces, on the west side of the Organ Mountains. From Exit 1 on Interstate 25, take University Avenue/Dripping Springs Road east to the end.

At the conclusion of the hike, you may want to visit The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. The museum is a 47-acre campus in Las Cruces features several barns, animals, a greenhouse, play areas for children, an amphitheater, the Heritage Garden and much more. Permanent and changing exhibits, as well as a theater, library, gift shop, snack bar, and meeting rooms are located in the 100,000-square-feet, ranch-style main building, named after Bruce King, New Mexico’s only three-term governor and rancher.

Friday, September 11, 2026 – return home. Please drive carefully! If you need a chile fix, you can stop in Hatch on the way down or on the return home and take care of that itch!

Note: if there is any interest, I can arrange for a group dinner at La Posta in Old Mesilla. This event will be on Wednesday evening, September 9, 2026. If there is any interest, information on the time will be posted on the outing. At the very least, this restaurant should be checked out! Very cool – check out the posted photos! In addition, Old Mesilla is a quaint village to visit.

The history of this famous Mexican restaurant a stone’s throw from Las Cruces, NM is long and colorful. This is the original La Posta. For more than a century and a half, these adobe walls have withstood the attack of elements and man, sheltering such personalities as Billy the Kid, Kit Carson, General Douglas MacArthur and Pancho Villa. A roaring Wild West town during the late 1800’s, Mesilla was the largest town in the Southwest between San Diego, California and San Antonio, Texas. During this period, La Posta served as the Corn Exchange Hotel, a favorite stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach Line.

No shows will be blocked from any future outings. If you sign up and then must drop out, please do so NLT Thursday, September 3, 2026.