Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument

The Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument is a United States national monument located in the state of New Mexico. The 496,330-acre monument is situated in the Mesilla Valley in southern New Mexico, surrounding the city of Las Cruces in Doña Ana County. The protected area includes several mountain ranges of the Chihuahuan Desert, such as the Robledo Mountains, Sierra de las Uvas, Doña Ana Mountains, Organ Mountains, and Potrillo Mountains. The monument protects a large variety of geological, paleontological, and archaeological resources, including 243 known archaeological sites, some of the earliest Native American settlements, and petroglyphs from three different tribes. The land also features Shelter Cave, Conkling Cavern, and fossils of ground sloths. Additionally, the monument includes sites where World War II bombers practiced their targeting and where American astronauts trained for lunar missions in the 1960s. With its rich history and diverse landscape, the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument is an exciting destination for families to explore and learn about the region's unique cultural and natural heritage