Las Cruces, NM also known as “The City of Crosses” is the second largest city in the state, it is only about 45 miles northwest of El Paso, TX, 173 miles east of Tucson, AZ, and approximately 230 miles south of Albuquerque, NM. The city’s landscape is dominated by the Organ Mountains that are located only 10 miles east of the city. The average annual high temperature is 77 F and an annual average low temperature of 51 F. This city has a very low amount of precipitation with an annual rain average of only 8 inches and annual snow average of 2 inches.
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There is no shortfall of outdoor adventure in Las Cruces; you can enjoy camping, golfing, disc golfing, tennis, swimming, and bird watching, take guided tours and expeditions; motorcycle and horseback riding tours are available. The Mesilla Valley offers bike riding trails for everyone from the casual rider to the experienced off-roader. Hiking is definitely not lacking in this area; north of Las Cruces, you have your pick of Dona Ana Mountains which is only about 5 miles from Las Cruces, offers 15 miles of mountain biking trails and 7 miles of horseback riding trails.
Picacho Peak located about 7 miles from Las Cruces offers several trails for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. About 4 miles north of Las Cruces is Robledo Mountains, advanced mountain bikers can enjoy the trails or take an off-road vehicle on this rocky terrain.
Further away and travelling south from Las Cruces, visitors can enjoy Kilborne Hole about 47 miles from Las Cruces; Kilborne Hole is a remnant of an ancient volcanic explosion, this allows visitors to make geological interpretation or just hiking a possibility. Travelling west about 20 miles is Aden Hills where visitors can choose to hike, mountain bike ride, or enjoy riding ATV’s. Finally, to the east visitors can enjoy hiking, mountain bike riding, and horseback riding at either Sierra Vista Trail or Tortugas “A” mountain, just 3 miles from New Mexico University. If enjoying hiking, mountain bike riding, and horseback riding sounds good but, visitors would like to add to wildlife viewing, picnicking, or camping they may want to consider Dripping Springs or Bar Canyon/Soledad Canyon which are only about 10 miles from Las Cruces or travel about 21 miles from Las Cruces to Aguirre Springs.
Las Cruces also has numerous museums, monuments, and galleries that will offer visitors the history of this city such as; Fort Selden State Monument, Gadsden Museum, Las Cruces Museum of Art, etc.
More recently, about 60 miles outside of Las Cruces, Spaceport America has opened. Spaceport America was designed to create a new way to travel in space while making a minimal impact on the environment. The tours offer the history of the evolution of transportation and trade from the Spanish and Native American pioneers of the past to the space pioneers of the future within the American continent among other historical information and stories from the area. Visitors will also see the existing space launch facilities, vertical mission control building, the different components currently under construction will be pointed out such as the airfield, spaceport operations center, etc. and even get to speak with a project engineer or stand at the head of the concrete “spaceway” that is 10,000 foot long by 200 feet wide.
Traveling to Las Cruces, NM visitors used to be able to fly directly into Las Cruces International Airport, however when Westward Airways ceased operations only general aviation, private charters, and Civil Air Patrol use Las Cruces International Airport. Most visitors traveling to Las Cruces by air fly into El Paso International Airport with regularly scheduled flights. Transportation through railway is also offered through Burlington Northern Santa Fe or visitors may choose to drive themselves. The major highways that service Las Cruces are Interstate 10, Interstate 25, U.S. Route 70 and U.S. Route 180.
There are many reasons a person may choose to relocate to Las Cruces, many people choose to retire in Las Cruces due to the mild climate and friendly people. Others choose to relocate here for the opportunities in high technology fields. Whatever the reason people choose to move here, there is plenty of history, recreation, and larger cities near enough to enjoy them as well.