People ask me what my favorite trails are. I recently had a group from Las Cruces contact me for some advice. For New Mexico, my favorite trails are a tossup between Dripping Springs just outside of Las Cruces, and The Catwalk National Scenic trail aways past Silver City, NM. Both are just so lovely that I will rate the two of them.
1. Dripping Springs Natural Area, Las Cruces NM. I was so surprised to find such a wonderful nature trail so close to Las Cruces. It is about 10 miles east of Las Cruces, in the Organ Mountains. Take the Exit 1 off of I-25 (university) and go east, look for the BLM signs. There is a $3 per car fee for this area. Other BLM areas near here do not have fees (will review those later!). The visitor center is clean and pleasant and has a garden area, restrooms, and ranger on duty. Here you can view trail information for the entire area, lots of photos of each area, and see descriptions of local plant and animal life. Be sure you pack plenty of water because it can get VERY hot in this area from spring through fall. Head south from the parking lot and follow the trail signs. This trail is fairly easy to moderate, with easy inclines and a gain of 1000+ feet. You will go from desert views, to gorgeous rocky mountain vistas, shrubbery and even ruins! A short ways into the trail you will be in a high desert meadow. Here you will see the old Cox ranch livery buildings. Further up, you will come across more greenery and pinon pines. There is a "haunted" old resort that was built in the 1870s! All boarded up and not accessible. Look past the old resort building for the springs. Some times of the year the water will be flowing nicely, other times just a trickle. Have a rest by the junipers and oaks. Be on the lookout for squirrels, birds, rabbits, and rarely: fox, skunk, and even mountain lions. Up past the springs you will see the remains of an old fort (be careful exploring by these old crumbling walls). If you have the energy to keep on exploring after you hike back down to the parking area, look for the "la cueva" trail signs. A short walk will get you to a large overhang/cave that is very interesting. Read the story about the murdered frontiersman! Overall: scenery: 9. Difficulty: 2. Advice: research the old base and sanitarium.
2. Catwalk National Scenic Trail, Glenwood NM. This can be somewhat out of the way. You'll have some wide-open country driving to enjoy the scenery of semi-arid hills, mountains and plains. Stop for supplies in Silver City because shopping is limited in Glenwood. We got a room at the Lariat Motel in Glenwood for a reasonable price. The hotel is somewhat shabby and outdated, but we did not spend much time in the hotel room except to sleep. The town is quaint and quiet. Plenty of wildlife in the area... we saw skunks just outside the hotel room at night, and deer during the dusk hours in neighboring fields. We headed early to the catwalk trail. It states it is only 1.1 miles to the top of the trail (2.2 miles round trip), but it felt longer, probably because of some steep areas. I do not recommend this trail for elderly or very young guests due to some parts with no hand rails and steep dropoffs. If you have vertigo, it also is not for you. At the parking area there is lovely picnic tables by the stream and big shade trees. You can choose either the old path or the new path for the beginning of the trail (one is purportedly an easier trail, but we've tried both, and there are some steep spots in both, with cliffs on one side which can cause dizziness in a vertigo-inclined hiker). There are mesh areas on the walkway that are quite sturdy, but a bit frightening. Lots of birds and squirrels to see. Bring your camera because some of the views are stunning. Pic opps include high cliffed areas surrounding the catwalk and lovely flora. Near the top of the trail, there is a high mesh bridge over a gorge that might prove too daunting to some pleasure hikers. Overall: scenery: 8. Difficulty: 4. Advice: Be careful of trails with steep dropoffs.
