Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument offers a quieter outdoor experience, with trails like Pine Tree Loop and the Aguirre Spring Campground. The campground is first-come, first-served, inexpensive, and has amazing views right from the sites. Nearby, White Sands Missile Range Museum adds a different layer with exhibits focused on military history and missile development.
Pick a stop to see its story and photos.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument combines rugged mountain spires with wide desert landscapes just outside Las Cruces. Aguirre Spring Campground sits tucked into the monument with primitive, inexpensive sites, big views from camp, and direct access to hikes like Pine Tree Loop.
Pine Tree Loop is a 4.2-mile loop trail in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that starts right from Aguirre Spring Campground. It climbs about 1,000 feet through juniper, oak, and mountain mahogany before opening up to wide views over the Tularosa Basin and the surrounding peaks. The trail is steady, a bit exposed in places, and straightforward to follow, with a good mix of shade and open sections.
White Sands Missile Range Museum is located on an active military base and focuses on the history of missile development, the early space program, and the beginnings of the nuclear age. Inside, exhibits cover everything from World War II and V-2 rockets to Cold War testing and ongoing military work. Outside, a large missile park displays rockets, drones, and other test vehicles used at the range.
Trader Jerry’s is a roadside curiosity shop along US-54, easy to spot thanks to the giant alien statues out front. It’s a mix of antiques, odd souvenirs, and random desert finds
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument combines rugged mountain spires with wide desert landscapes just outside Las Cruces. Aguirre Spring Campground sits tucked into the monument with primitive, inexpensive sites, big views from camp, and direct access to hikes like Pine Tree Loop.
Pine Tree Loop is a 4.2-mile loop trail in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that starts right from Aguirre Spring Campground. It climbs about 1,000 feet through juniper, oak, and mountain mahogany before opening up to wide views over the Tularosa Basin and the surrounding peaks. The trail is steady, a bit exposed in places, and straightforward to follow, with a good mix of shade and open sections.
White Sands Missile Range Museum is located on an active military base and focuses on the history of missile development, the early space program, and the beginnings of the nuclear age. Inside, exhibits cover everything from World War II and V-2 rockets to Cold War testing and ongoing military work. Outside, a large missile park displays rockets, drones, and other test vehicles used at the range.
Trader Jerry’s is a roadside curiosity shop along US-54, easy to spot thanks to the giant alien statues out front. It’s a mix of antiques, odd souvenirs, and random desert finds
We packed up and left Oliver Lee Memorial State Park in the morning, heading south with plans to stop at the…
We spent two nights at Aguirre Spring Campground in Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument, and it’s…
