Dripping Springs Natural Area, Las Cruces, New Mexico

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Marty_A_Moore]Marty A Moore
This place is definitely worth the trip! Located at the base of the Organ Mountains, about 11 miles East of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Dripping Springs Natural Area is just a few miles outside of the dry desert surrounding Las Cruces, but it's a whole different world!
Going east up University Avenue, the pavement ends and a gravel road continues up towards the Organ Mountains, just keep going and it will terminate at the Dripping Springs Visitor Center.
Right before you reach the Dripping Springs Visitor Center, you pass a large rock formation on your left, it is named "La Cueva", meaning "The Cave", very interesting place to stop and investigate.
The Dripping Springs Natural Area is open year-round, from 8:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. April through September and 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. October through March. The day-use fee is $3.00 per vehicle and picnic sites can be reserved for $25.00. The visitor center is open from 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m., 575-522-1210.
You will want to make a day of Dripping Springs, pack a picnic lunch, your hiking gear, some drinking water and head for the mountains. The scenery is beautiful and the view is spectacular. Hiking trails are well-maintained and not too strenuous, but you will be walking mostly uphill for about a couple of miles, so make sure to stop and rest often.
If you're observant, you should see lots of wildlife, lizards, birds, ground squirrels and maybe even a deer or Oryx. As you are hiking up the trail you may notice small piles of berries, those are Fox droppings!
Springtime is a fantastic time to visit the park, the California Poppies are blooming and lots of other wildflowers dot the country side. Also, if you go in the rainy season, as the name suggests, you may see some dripping springs!
There is a lot to see in Dripping Springs, Van Patten's Mountain Camp, Boyd's Sanatorium and Van Patten's Reservoir are just some of the old buildings hidden behind towering canyon walls, in the majestic Organ Mountains.
Going from the valley of Las Cruces to the Organ Mountains is like going to a whole different state, it's amazing how the terrain can change in just a few miles. Tired of the desert, head for the Mountains!
Bring your camera, so you can show your friends what you did that day, they won't believe you were in the desert of New Mexico. If you want to see pictures of the Dripping Springs Natural Area, click on the link below.
New Mexico is most certainly the Land of Enchantment!
This article was written by Marty Moore of Sun Gardens. For pictures of the Dripping Springs area, please go to: [http://sungardensinc.com/blog/?p=70]http://sungardensinc.com/blog/?p=70, or for more interesting day trip ideas around the desert Southwest, and pictures, please visit my site at: http://www.sungardensinc.com and click on the day trips link.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Dripping-Springs-Natural-Area,-Las-Cruces,-New-Mexico&id=6561725] Dripping Springs Natural Area, Las Cruces, New Mexico