A Road Trip through Southern New Mexico
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
We have been exploring a lot of unusual places since moving to Tucson. One of the benefits of living in southern Arizona is enjoying a bunch of daytrips to places we would have never considered otherwise. We have explored various areas in New Mexico, the most recent being Las Cruces, a small town in the southern portion of the state. This is a nice base location for daytrips to various historical sites and hiking trails. We enjoyed easy daytrips to: White Sands National Monument, the Roswell UFO Museum, and the beautiful Dripping Springs Natural Area.
Although the population is just over 100,000, it is the 2nd largest city in New Mexico. Most notably, the city is home to New Mexico State University. The strong art and foodie culture and proximity to natural wonders draws a lot of tourism.
Most notably, this region of the state is home to several great space related museums and attractions including the Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science with a special exhibit honoring Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, and Spaceport America in nearby Truth or Consequences (also home to one of the top ranked mineral spas).
What’s with the name?
The origin of the city’s unique nickname, “The City of the Crosses,” is a mystery although several theories exist. One theory suggests that multiple crosses were placed as grave markers for the victims of the Apache raids. Another theory suggests that the crosses were erected after 40 travelers from Taos were killed just as they reached the border. Or, the name could simply mean nothing more than its’ Spanish translation of “the crosses.”
Learn more about the history of this unique town
An outdoor lover’s oasis
First off, this region is a great destination for any fitness enthusiasts. We hike nearly every weekend in Tucson, but we are always up for exploring new places. The city is close to 3 natural wonders (Organ Mountain Desert Peaks, White Sands National Monument, and the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument). Perhaps, most notable is the city’s gorgeous location.
The beautiful Organ mountains surround the city. They seem to jump out in the background like a painting. Just driving around the area is an activity in and of itself. I absolutely loved the mountain scenery here even though I look at some beautiful scenery in Tucson daily (the gorgeous Santa Catalina mountains comprise the background of where we live in suburban Oro Valley).
As the elevation of Las Cruces is just under 4000 ft and the towering Organ Mountains rise up to 9000, they create a pretty visually stunning backdrop wherever you go. On a side note, it is best to plan your trip outside of the summer season as temps typically hover in the 100+ degree range for months on end. We planned our trip in August, however we deal with the rough desert conditions daily at home.
Las Cruces is an easy road trip from Albuquerque (3 hrs), Santa Fe (4 hrs), El Paso (1.5 hrs), and Tucson (4hrs). If you are interested in hiking, exploring national parks, or simply enjoy Southwestern culture and food, I would say add it to your bucket list.
I have come up with a quick guide of what I believe are some terrific things to do in the area. You will find a great mix of historic sites, local restaurants and shopping, and beautiful natural sites. Of course, there is much more to do, but this guide will serve as a starter.
Stroll around Old Mesilla Village
Mesilla is a historic community located just minutes from Las Cruces. Founded in 1848, Old Mesilla Plaza is now a National Historic Landmark. The traditional adobe style buildings remain and many are also on the National Historic register. It’s an interesting step back in time for anyone interested in Southwestern culture and architecture. Personally, I am intrigued by the architecture as it is so different from anything I saw growing up in Chicago.
At the plaza, you can browse through local boutique shops, stroll around art galleries, dine at local restaurants, grab a cup of coffee, or visit a historic museum. Numerous cultural events take place throughout the year. Depending on when your visit falls, you can enjoy farmer’s markets, art fairs, and a popular lighting of the luminaries festival every December.
An hour or 2 here should do. I wouldn’t recommend setting aside too much time unless there is a special event. We browsed around a cute Christmas shop and sipped a great cup of joe at a local coffee shop/bakery known as The Bean. There are a few interesting antique shops and lots of places to pick up little gifts, souvenirs, and knick knacks for the house. I love shopping in all these little local shops. As everything becomes more “chain-like” in this day and age, it’s fun to come across these diverse stores with a little bit of personality.
The restaurants we tried were all a bit overrated to be honest. That being said, I give bonus points to La Posta de Mesilla for the parrots, fish tanks, and colorful design. The food was so-so but I recommend it for the cool ambiance.
Old Mesilla village address: Calle De Principal Mesilla, NM
Dripping Springs Natural Area: an enchanting place to hike
The unique name for the Organ mountains comes from the fact that the steep needle like spires resemble the pipes of an organ. Although there are numerous hikes around the city, you will definitely want to plan first and foremost for a hike at Dripping Springs. There are 4 miles of easy trails here including the most popular & most scenic, the Dripping Springs trail.
This is without question one of the most gorgeous trails I’ve hiked since moving to the southwest. Plus, the drive over is so stunning. As an added bonus, the hike is pretty short and not all that difficult. Really, who wants to go all out on a vacation?! I am sure there are more mesmerizing hikes we could have chosen, but we were looking to take it a bit easier this trip.
The mountain views are terrific the entire trek and the scenery is quite green for the desert with lots of lush desert plant life in every direction. The trail and drive over were both super secluded. We saw few hikers so it really felt like a true out in the wilderness experience.
You may even see some wildlife along the route! We saw several mule deer near the end. If you get lucky you may see a coyote or even a mountain lion. Set out early in the morning to beat the heat and increase your odds of seeing wildlife. Also, bring with extra water to account for the higher elevation. You can read more about my experience hiking this trail and see more pics.
Trailhead address: 15000 Dripping Springs Rd.
Check out the eclectic Recycled Roadrunner statue
Just west of Las Cruces off of I-10 (near milepost 134) lies an interesting art attraction at an ordinary roadstop. This eccentric 20 foot tall, 40 foot long roadrunner statue is composed entirely out of junk. We love checking out oddball attractions throughout the country; this is just another one to add to our list.
Although it is easily visible from the highway, it is worth stopping for to get a more detailed look. Upon closer inspection, you will notice that a diverse range of materials were used in completing this “junk” sculpture. It just goes to show that sometimes the most worthless junk can be transformed into a treasure. As a bonus, the views of the mountains are pretty great!
Roadrunner statue address: I-10 rest area just west of Las Cruces near mile marker 134
A few cool daytrips we took
We decided to take a few daytrips from Las Cruces to explore more. We are used to driving all over the place especially since moving to Arizona, so this doesn’t bother us much. This region of the country is packed with so many unique natural wonders. We figured it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity while we are so close. Who knows if we’ll ever be back in the region again! Here’s where we went:
Algamordo
Alamogordo, a small community bordered by the Chihuahuan Desert, is a little over an hour north of Las Cruces. Interestingly, the city was the site of the first atomic bomb test. Also it is the site where over 800 Atari games were buried in the desert back in 1983. These games where eventually dug up in 2015 and sold for over $107,000!
This small city is conveniently located nearby the White Sands National Monument (the most fun we had on our trip – more on this in a bit). It’s just an extra 10 minutes away. Although tiny, the Alameda Park Zoo is worthy of a visit as it is the oldest zoo in the Southwest. For just a few bucks, you can get out of the car and stretch a bit and enjoy seeing a surprisingly diverse selection of animals for such a small space.
Another offbeat roadside detour we came across was a place called Pistachioland, a quirky little roadside attraction where you can see the world’s largest pistachio (30ft tall). You can also tour a pistachio farm, sample all sorts of weird pistachios flavors, and even treat yourself to some pistachio ice cream on a hot day! You can also shop for all sorts of homemade gourmet goods, sample local wines, and even try some homemade fudge – basically you can do about anything here!
If you love stopping at weird roadside attractions to break up your drive, this one will surely please. Really, it is just a nice little break to get out of the car for a bit before continuing on to Cloudcroft. Or a way to break up the long boring drive to Las Cruces. Basically, if you are passing through, I recommend getting out of your car.
Distance from Las Cruces: 1 hr, 15 min
Alameda Park Zoo address: 1321 N White Sands Blvd, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Pistachioland address: 7320 Hwy 54 70, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Cloudcroft: a gorgeous vacation town in the Lincoln National Forest
Cloudcroft is a tiny little town located within the beautiful Lincoln National Forest. Contrary to the surrounding desert landscapes, Cloudcroft (thanks to its super high elevation of 8600 ft ) is one of the highest located cities in the US). The scenery here is so different from the lowland surrounding desert.
The cooler summer temperatures at this high of an altitude make it a popular place for NM locals to escape the heat. Also, it is home to the southernmost ski resort, which is a nice perk for TX and NM locals. While nearby towns typically see temps well above 90 on a constant basis come summer, this little town sits at a comfortable 70 degrees on average. It would be a nice escape for any desert dwellers seeking a summer break.
Visiting Cloudcroft is a great choice for cooling down after exploring White Sands in the summer (where temps easily reach the 90’s early on in the morning hours). In my experience, the extremely picturesque drive up US 82 is enough to warrant a visit. There are numerous scenic overlooks and lots of trails to enjoy. Check out the Trestle Recreation area featuring a variety of trails from a 1/2 mile to 8+ miles. We hiked a few short trails, but didn’t have a ton of extra time to explore as much as we hoped.
Here’s a few fun pics from our drive! It’s difficult to take perfect photos while driving, but trust me – it’s so gorgeous!
White Sands National Monument: Featuring rare white gypsum sand dunes
White Sands was my favorite attraction on our trip. I am so glad we took the time to drive over here. This unique national monument is unlike any place you’ve seen before. And it is absolutely worth the hour drive from Las Cruces. In fact, we heard that most people stay in this town just to get up and drive to the dunes.
These incredible dunes seem to just pop up all of the sudden. One minute you are driving looking at flat scenery in the Chihuahuan desert and the next minute you are surrounded by these towering ancient sand dunes. Once arriving at the park and starting the 8 mile scenic drive, you can toss off your shoes and walk bare feet on the sand even on the 100 degree summer days as gypsum sand does not absorb heat.
Living in Tampa for several years, I was reminded of the cool white sands of a Florida Gulf coast beach. Although, instead of sunbathing, you will see tourists sledding down the hills! This is really fun! Do bring your own sled to save a few bucks over the expensive gift shop. Or check with your hotel (some hotels in the area keep sleds at the front desk).
White Sands is definitely one of the strangest places I’ve visited out West – you really feel as if you are somewhere not of this world. You can read more about my experiences walking on the softest sand.
Roswell
Roswell is a bit further away than the other day trips on this list at a lengthy 3 hour drive. However, it really is worth visiting for a look at the strange & unusual UFO museum. It’s one of those places you just have to visit once, especially with the strange history revolving around the supposed UFO crashes of the 1950’s.
Personally, I love anything thing to do with science fiction, so I wasn’t missing out while so close.
We had a fun time at the museum looking through the photos and stories. Really, it’s a quirky one time attraction worth going out of your way for. Downtown Roswell is really out there too, with all sorts of weird UFO murals, UFO themed light posts, and eclectic shops. You will find all sorts of weird alien souvenirs to add to your collection. There are lots of spots to take your picture with aliens. It’s worth a stroll around if you are into alien memorabilia.
We took a lot of funny pics downtown and browsed around a lot of souvenir shops. They had alien lampposts and even a spaceship themed McDonalds. It was like a place out of the movies and it was a fun time.
Before hitting the museum, I recommend checking out Stellar Coffee. The ambiance is so funky and seriously the Americano is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.
Bottomless Lakes State Park, just 15 minutes south of Roswell, is also popular with tourists. This pretty natural area consists of unique shallow lakes (17-90 foot deep) which appear deeper due to the bright greenish blue color of the aquatic plants.
The funny thing is that these bottomless lakes are neither bottomless, nor lakes as they are actually sinkholes. Nevertheless, you can hike, swim, fish, take out your kayak or canoe, or rent paddleboats for the day. These bottomless lakes are a source of many spooky legends. These include creatures lurking at the bottom and stories of items mysteriously disappearing! Learn more about this state park.
UFO Museum address: 114 N Main St
