Area Description

The Organ Mountains Complex is located in eastern Doña Ana County, about 10 to 15 miles east of Las Cruces, NM. Talavera and Organ Mountains, separated only by a bike trail, are the two inventory units within the complex. The Organ Mountains encompass extremely rugged terrain with a multitude of steep-sided crevices, canyons, and spires; and several perennial springs. Organ Needle is the high point in the complex, topping out at slightly over 9,000 feet in elevation. In a mere three miles to the west the elevation drops over 4,000 feet, making the Organ Mountains one of the steepest mountain ranges in the western US. A wide variety of vegetation types are found here, including grasses, mixed desert shrubs, pinyon-juniper woodland, mixed mountain shrubs, and ponderosa pine. Most residents and visitors to Las Cruces are impressed with the picturesque backdrop to the city provided by the towering peaks of the Organs, so named because of the steep, needle-like spires that resemble the pipes of an organ. The arroyos in the Organ Mountains cut across the rolling mesas to carry storm runoff to the Mesilla Valley and the Rio Grande on the west side and the Tularosa Basin on the east side.

Ecological Values

The presence of springs in the Organ Mountains makes the area critically important to wildlife including golden eagles, hawks, owls, mule deer, Montezuma quail, and mountain lions. Desert bighorn sheep were historical inhabitants and could be reintroduced. Special-status animal species occurring in the Organs are the peregrine falcon, an Organ Mountain race of the Colorado chipmunk, and four species of endemic mollusks. Special-status plant species found here include Sneed's pincushion cactus, night-blooming cereus, Organ Mountains pincushion cactus, Villard's pincushion, white-flowered visnaguita, Wright's fishhook cactus, nodding cliff daisy, long-stemmed flame flower, Rosa stellata, Organ Mountain evening primrose, Organ Mountains paintbrush, and smooth figwort, the last three being endemic to the area. Sheer's pincushion cactus may also be present. The diverse plant life also includes black grama grasslands, ocotillo, yuccas, mesquite, sumac, mountain mahogany, oaks, pinyon, juniper, and ponderosa pine.

Scenic and Recreational Qualities

The quartz monzonite spires of the Organ Needles provide the most spectacular scenery in southern New Mexico, a view that the more than 80,000 inhabitants of Las Cruces see daily. A 9,000-acre portion of the Organs has been designated as a Scenic ACEC. The Organ Needles are massive spires of almost barren rock cleft with narrow chasms containing ribbons of green oak trees. Huge boulders are found resting along the base of spires. The complex also contains canyons of angular blocky rock outcrops arranged in pyramidal patterns, red rhyolite cliffs, and bands of mountain mahogany nestled deep in vertical crevices between white ridges of volcanic tuff. During the summer growing season, the hills are washed in a bright green hue from the thick carpet of grasses. The scenic resources of the Organs are important to the vast majority of Las Cruces residents, most of which are of the opinion that they should be protected and preserved. The Organs provide a source of considerable civic pride for the residents of Las Cruces.

Outstanding recreational opportunities include hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, birding, and nature photography. Rock climbing in the Organs is well known and nationally significant. The Baylor Pass and Pine Tree National Recreation Trails are found within the complex, as are a series of hiking trails near Dripping Springs National Recreation Area.

Special Management Areas

This complex encompasses the Organ Mountains Wilderness Study Area (WSA), the Organ Needles WSA, the Peña Blanca WSA, the Organ Mountains Scenic Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and a portion of the Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC, designated to protect the biological, scenic, riparian, special status species, and cultural values of the area.

Cultural Values

Archaeological sights include the La Cueva rock shelter, which was professionally excavated in the 1970's. This excavation provided a significant number of artifacts and data on prehistoric cultures that have inhabited the cave, some as long ago as 7,000 years. The Peña Blanca rock shelters were professionally excavated in the 1980's and contained what were determined to be the earliest known cultivated corn in the US. Other sites in the complex are known to exist but have not been inventoried.

Access Information

The Organ Mountains are designated a National Recreation Area and there are two developed recreation sites where a fee is charged. Aguirre Springs is on the northeast side of the mountains and has a campground, picnic sites, and developed hiking trails. From exit #6 on I-25, drive northeast from Las Cruces on Highway 70 for 14 miles, and turn right on the Aguirre Springs turnoff. Drive south on the paved road for 5½ miles to the fee area.

Dripping Springs is on the west side of the mountains and has a visitors center, picnic sites, and developed trails. To get there, take the University exit #1 off of I-25 and drive northeast on University for about 10 miles to the visitors center. This road turns to gravel about 4 miles east of town and becomes Dripping Springs Road, CR C077, to the east.

The Baylor Canyon Road, CR D071, which goes between Highway 70 and Dripping Springs Road, accesses the northwest side of the mountains. The northern terminus of this road intersects Highway 70 about 11 miles northeast of I-25 exit #6; the southern terminus intersects Dripping Springs Road about 8 miles northeast of I-25 exit #1.

To get to the Talavera unit and the south part of the Organ Mountains unit, take the Mesquite exit #151 off of I-10, about 10 miles southeast of Las Cruces. Head northeast from the interstate on the well-graded gravel road. The Talavera unit is on the north side of the road after you cross under the second set of power lines about 3 ½ to 4 miles from the interstate. The Organ Mountains unit is on the north side of the road about 4½ to 5 miles northeast of the interstate.

The USGS 7.5 minute maps that cover this complex are: Organ, Tortugas Mountain, Organ Peak, San Miguel, Bishop Cap.