username
X
password
register
for free!
 help
 Home FAQ Contribute Camp Granada Surveys Shop
 TrailDEX Filter Areas A to Z Easy Hikes in Season Dog Hikes in Season
 MapRoute Editor Route Editor Route CloudRoute Scout Route Scout Foliage DEX Wildflower DEX
Publish a Guide
Trail/Hike Guide
 GPS Route
Recorded Track of a Hike
 Triplog
Review/Journal of a Hike
 Photoset
Photos of a Hike
help
  HAZ Forum
ArticlesGuidesRoutes
 
Photosets
 Recent Photosets
Liked PixelMASTERS
Avatars Tagged Notes
 
 Comments
triplogs   photosets   labels comments more
Dripping Springs Natural Area - 2 members in 9 triplogs have rated this an average 4 ( 1 to 5 best )
9 triplogs
login for filter options
Apr 27 2024
avatar

 Guides 4
 Routes 93
 Photos 302
 Triplogs 698

51 male
 Joined Jul 05 2008
 Gilbert, AZ
Dripping Springs Natural AreaSouthwest, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Apr 27 2024
adenium • Triplogs 698
Hiking3.30 Miles
Hiking3.30 Miles   1 Hour   15 Mns   2.64 mph
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Spending the night in Las Cruces. Of course I have to get in a hike. This was a nice little walk up close to the Organ Mountains without exerting much effort. Pretty area, especially at sunset.
_____________________
 
Apr 10 2024
avatar

 Guides 187
 Routes 991
 Photos 12,084
 Triplogs 866

72 male
 Joined Jun 27 2015
 Tucson, Arizona
Organ Mountain Monument Loop, NM 
Organ Mountain Monument Loop, NM
 
Hiking avatar Apr 10 2024
markthurman53 • Triplogs 866
Hiking6.80 Miles 1,440 AEG
Hiking6.80 Miles   5 Hrs   5 Mns   1.61 mph
1,440 ft AEG      51 Mns Break20 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc Mine
Partners partners
mamakatt22
On day three of our trip back to Lubbock we stopped off in Las Cruces to hike some of the trails in Organ Mountain Monument. There are a few trails there that we weren’t able to do last time we were here so we intended to complete those. Started off on the Dripping Spring Trail. This trail is about 1.5 miles one way and ends at Dripping Springs of course, this was the sight of a resort and Sanitarium back at the turn of the century. Only the remains of those buildings are left today, although they have been well preserved, kind of. This is an easy trail and we encountered about a dozen or so other hikers. On the return trip one of the other hikers that is real familiar with the area pointed out 5 Oryx, Odd looking critters. Fairly large animals with 2 horns that point to the rear. I thought they had similar features to a horse or a cow maybe both. I got within about 150 yards to get some better picture. The Oryx were introduced from Africa around 1960 as a gift to somebody but now roam around the Organ Mountains and White Sands area. They allow hunting of them to keep their numbers down as they have no predators.
After Dripping Springs we took the Crawford and Fillmore Canyon Trail. Our GPS route shows a short side trip we took up to an area that looked like there might be a mine but there was nothing there. There was a sucker trail that lead up to this pile of rock that looked like mine tailings but I think it was a natural formation. Could be an interesting area if there was water flowing in that canyon. We headed back to the Crawford Trail. Fillmore Canyon Trail is interesting, pass by the sight of a lead silver smelter then to Fillmore Falls and dam. No water to speak of just a trickle just enough for the bees. Took a break here. After leaving the Dripping Spring Trail we didn’t see anyone else on the trail. Headed back along the La Cueva Trail to our start point.
There is a fee for this area but if you have the National Park Pass covers it. Stopped in at the visitors center and the people working there were friendly with lots of good information on the history of this area. We stay in Las Cruces tonight, Rudy’s for dinner and then the next day Rudy’s for breakfast then on to Lubbock.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  South African oryx (gemsbok)
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Very few

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Dripping Springs Dripping Dripping

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Fillmore Spring Dripping Dripping
At the dam barely a drip, enough for bees
_____________________
 
Apr 17 2023
avatar

 Guides 1
 Routes 136
 Photos 22,415
 Triplogs 1,041

77 male
 Joined Feb 28 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Dripping Springs Natural AreaSouthwest, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Apr 17 2023
rwstorm • Triplogs 1,041
Hiking2.00 Miles 200 AEG
Hiking2.00 Miles
200 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc Mine
Partners none no partners
I really like Las Cruces and the surrounding area and had not been there in awhile, so it was time for a trip. I spent two nights lodging at the Mesilla Quality Inn, which I had not stayed at before. It gets good reviews, as does the Best Western where I usually stay. I will say that I prefer the Best Western, which has larger rooms and is less expensive. The breakfast buffet at the Quality was lousy the time I was there, so I skipped it day two. It has been good at the Best Western, where I will stay again next trip. I enjoyed stops at a couple of brew pubs while there (Icebox Brewing North Main Taproom & Truth or Consequences Brewing on East Lohman. Icebox has established a taproom in Hatch and I went there in early March for the release of their new Green Chile Blonde Ale (it's Hatch after all), which I found to be just right (better than the T or C green chile release of last fall). All part of the fun. :)

Monday morning I drove out to the Dripping Springs Natural Area, such a beautiful location on the west side of the Organ Mountains. I have enjoyed some great hikes there over the years, but today I just did a couple miles on the Fillmore Canyon and La Cueva Trails (I had to pay my respect to the Hermit, whose life journeys were quite amazing).

**I happily filled the tank of my truck with $3.19/gal gas in Las Cruces** :)

I had planned on camping at Aguirre Spring CG (another fine area) on the other side of the mountains for night three, but the weather forecast of very strong winds made me call that off and just head back to Tucson.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
_____________________
  4 archives
Jan 20 2016
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 2,750
 Triplogs 402

60 male
 Joined Nov 13 2005
 Cave Creek, AZ
Dripping Springs Natural AreaSouthwest, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Jan 20 2016
cabel • Triplogs 402
Hiking5.00 Miles
Hiking5.00 Miles
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Beautiful place in the Organ Mnts. There is a lot of history in the park. Great peaks of sheer rock. Waterfall was flowing and another one was frozen.
_____________________
All who wander are not lost...just me.
 
Dec 31 2013
avatar

 Guides 1
 Routes 136
 Photos 22,415
 Triplogs 1,041

77 male
 Joined Feb 28 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Ice CanyonSouthwest, NM
Ice Canyon
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Dec 31 2013
rwstorm • Triplogs 1,041
Hiking3.00 Miles 500 AEG
Hiking3.00 Miles
500 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Partners none no partners
I first visited this area in the fall of 2006 in conjunction with camping and hiking at Aguirre Springs. I had been interested in the story of the Hermit (Giovanni María Agostino-Justiniani) since I became aware of it in the early 1990's while sightseeing around Las Vegas, New Mexico. When I finally hiked up to Hermit's Peak for the first time in 2003, I became even more interested in this individual. A visit to La Cueva in 2006 (where he was murdered in 1869 and just a short ways down from the visitor center) was followed by a failed initial attempt to find his grave site in the fairly large cemetery in Mesilla.

But, what I didn't discover until January 2011, was this beautiful little stroll to some great historical artifacts up in Ice Canyon! :D

This is a nice easy road walk to enjoy if you are in the Las Cruces area. Be sure to check in at the visitor center and view the historical displays.

These are rugged mountains where most of the hikes are not this mellow. ;)

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Dripping Springs Quart per minute Quart per minute
_____________________
 
Apr 19 2013
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Dripping Springs Natural AreaSouthwest, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Apr 19 2013
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Hiking8.00 Miles 1,400 AEG
Hiking8.00 Miles
1,400 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Yellow Rocks
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc Mine
Ice Canyon
Organ Peak via Fillmore Canyon
Partners none no partners
rode the $2 bus over to check out the potentials... that's one cheap 90 mile ride! Once over in Cruces, can hop on the bike and ride out for the hiking. Today I met up with Yubao for a ride up to hike Yellow Rocks and a variety of other trails in the area... once they close down the Lincoln National Forest (three weeks away?) this may become my twice weekly hike pattern! This is one nice looking area!!

Met up with Terri and her 11 hikers... they were enjoying their Friday outing.

Nice day.
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Oct 14 2012
avatar

 Guides 253
 Photos 6,930
 Triplogs 2,467

75 male
 Joined Nov 05 2008
 Cloudcroft, NM
Organ Peak Observatory, NM 
Organ Peak Observatory, NM
 
Hiking avatar Oct 14 2012
imike • Triplogs 2,467
Hiking9.80 Miles 3,500 AEG
Hiking9.80 Miles
3,500 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Organ Peak via Fillmore Canyon
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc Mine
Partners none no partners
Very interesting, off trail ramble up towards Organ Peak... I held up a few hundred feet below the top, enjoying the view from the old observatory and snapping pics of the two hikers that peaked out. Now that I know the "correct" route to the top, I'll head back over and top out the hike... and a few others in the area. Meetup group today... nice folks.

Note: part of the reason for a lack of any trail or even established route in the upper reaches: it is on the Fort Bliss/ White Sands Military area. We found part of an old target drone up there!
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Fillmore Canyon  Modoc Mine  Organ Peak  The Needles
_____________________
Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
 
Jan 30 2011
avatar

 Routes 17
 Photos 2,773
 Triplogs 249

53 female
 Joined May 15 2009
 Phoenix and Tucs
Dripping Springs Natural AreaSouthwest, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Jan 30 2011
cindyl • Triplogs 249
Hiking
Hiking
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
rwstorm
At the base of the Organ Mountains lies this jewel of a photography destination. I have to say that the destination was much better than the "hike." It was a gravel road for the majority of the hike out to the various Van Patten's Mountain Camp buildings and the associated "Dripping Spring." I included the informational sign on the camp in my photoset.

This little hike was enough to get me revved up about doing more hikes in the Organ Mountains, though. There is so much to explore! I want to go up the Organ Needle, a hike/climb that was featured in this month's New Mexico magazine. Unfortunately, the article is not available online. I did find this, though: summitpost.org/orga ... 1787.

Note: I included the rough stats for the "La Cueva" hike, too. That was just a tiny little jaunt up to the area where El Ermitano (The Hermit) lived, and died (more info: southernnewmexico.c ... html). After seeing some of his artifacts at the Gadsden Museum in Mesilla, it was good to have the visual to go with the stories. Recommend the Gadsden Museum to anyone who visits the area. Also recommend Nellie's Cafe for Mexican food (breakfast and lunch, Tuesday to Saturday).
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Stone Dwelling  Wooden Dwelling
_____________________
There are just two switchbacks left. And another half-mile to the destination...
  1 archive
Sep 03 2010
avatar

 Guides 1
 Routes 136
 Photos 22,415
 Triplogs 1,041

77 male
 Joined Feb 28 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc MineSouthwest, NM
Fillmore Canyon / Modoc Mine
Southwest, NM
Hiking avatar Sep 03 2010
rwstorm • Triplogs 1,041
Hiking2.50 Miles 435 AEG
Hiking2.50 Miles   2 Hrs      1.25 mph
435 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Dripping Springs Natural Area
Partners partners
kissime321
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
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
_____________________
 
average hiking speed 1.83 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

FAQ
helpcommentissue

end of page marker