First part of a Labor Day Weekend trip to New Mexico. After spending some time in Mesilla, it was off to the Dripping Springs Natural Area on the west side of the beautiful Organ Mountains. This area is administered by the BLM and has a modest 3 dollar entrance fee. From the La Cueva Picnic area, we took the Fillmore Canyon Trail for about a mile over to a small waterfall that had slight flow. Then it was back to the junction with the La Cueva Trail, which we walked for about a quarter mile over to the cave that has been inhabited by prehistoric cultures for perhaps 7000 years. It is also the cave that the hermit of Hermit's Peak fame met his demise, murdered there in 1869. He is buried in the Mesilla Cemetery. I looked for his tombstone there several years ago and didn't find it, but I plan on looking again someday.
More information:
http://www.rozylowicz.com/retirement/drippingsprings/dripping.html