Las Cruces is at the heart of some of the most beautiful scenery and fascinating history of the southwest. While you’re here visit the White Sands National Monument, which contains miles and miles of pure white gypsum dunes between two mountain ranges. This sight is especially stunning at sunset or on a full-moon night.
Just one hour north of Las Cruces you’ll actually find a lake in the desert! Elephant Butte State Park and Caballo Reservoir cover over 50,000 acres and offer year-round fishing, camping, hiking, water skiing, and windsurfing.
The Gila National Forest is New Mexico’s largest wilderness area and has trout streams, hiking trails, and terrain ranging from scrubby Piñon and Juniper to Maples and Douglas Fir higher up. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse back in time revealing the sophisticated culture of the ancient Mogollon Indians.
Rock Hound State Park is one monument which, believe it or not, encourages you to take home some geodes, agates and opals! And just north of this attraction you can find huge chunks of volcanic tuff looking eerily like buildings on city streets. Or you can visit the City of Rocks, a rock formation that looks like a city was built in the desert.
Like to ski? Then travel about 100 miles northeast to either Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, home of Ski Apache, which is owned by the Apache Tribe. These snow capped mountains offer excellent skiing from November through March. One can also enjoy horse racing in Ruidoso and in Sunland Park south of Las Cruces.
Like caves and bat flights? Carlsbad Caverns provides walking tours into the depths of this cave visited by people from around the world.
Like to hike in the mountains? Aguirre Springs and Dripping Springs are a short distance from Las Cruces and provide excellent hiking trails in the majestic Organ Mountains.
These are just some of the attractions near Las Cruces which are definitely worth seeing in the Land of Enchantment. And when you have more time visit our neighboring southwest states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Texas. And Mexico is only an hour away (just take your passport with you when you travel).