Dripping Springs Natural Area

If you visit Las Cruces, you can't miss the Organ Mountains. The rocky spires are stark against the landscape, and are named because they look like a pipe organ. Visiting them is quite easy as it's a short drive from Las Cruces. There's a visitor center if you would like to know the history behind the area in addition to appreciating the natural beauty of the area. It's also good for planning out your hikes. There are a bunch of trail maps and the maps that prohibit dogs are also clearly marked.There are gorgeous views and the trails seemed well maintained with gravel/dirt. They are well marked so you can't get lost. In addition, there are plenty of bathrooms at the trailhead and visitor center. There's also a water fountain for both people and dogs at the visitor center.

The Dripping Springs trail is only 3 miles long and relatively flat with ruins of a century plus old "resort" turned Sanitorium, the waterfall and springs plus various outbuildings. Go when it is cool as the first and last 1.25 miles is in the open.

Very nice facility with an extremely helpful and friendly staff. Their knowledge of the area is vast and they like to share it. Interesting exhibits, nicely maintained and a water bottle filling station to load up before enjoying one of the hikes of cared skill levels and duration. Get outside, go here, have fun!

Love, love this hike! It has historic ruins to see, it has natural features to climb around. You can't go wrong. Visitors center has nice clean bathrooms. Mid way up there are pit toilets It used to be a vacation spot in stagecoach times. I love to see the ruins such a peaceful place

Really nice place to hike with the family. We went on the "Dripping Springs Trail." There are others in the area, but this one leads to the ruins of the Dripping Springs Resort.There's a $5 charge for parking (I believe you get a discount if you have a National Parks annual pass) and the main lot is small, so you may need to park at the overflow lot if it is busy. I think that adds a bit to your hike. The hike is out and back and pretty much uphill the whole way "out." The good news is that the whole way back is downhill, but convincing small children that it's worth it could be a challenge. The round trip from the visitor's center is about 3 miles.'There are many trees along the path with places to sit and rest -- again, they may be occupied during busy times/days. Signage is good and the trail is easy to follow. Aside from going "up" the whole way, it is an easy trail.Don't set your expectations too high for the "spring" since it is pretty much the drainspout from an old cistern that captured water that came down the mountain. It isn't called "dripping" for nothing. Any more than a trickle probably requires that it has rained a good deal very recently.There are some old buildings that were part of the livery and stage coach stop about a quarter mile before the end of the trail where you can walk by the cistern, sanatorium, and ruins of the old main buildings for the mountain camp.There are several picnic tables up in the camp area, just keep an eye out. There are also a lot more near the overflow parking areas.

A beautiful drive! So many plants, etc to see. The views are spectacular! A fun, quick little adventure that is highly rewarding!

If it's just rained or it's lightly drizzling, pack up your bags and head out to Dripping Springs. You don't have to be an avid hiker to enjoy this trail, even the smallest hiker would enjoy this one.My hubby and I went a day after it had rained pretty hard. We saw a video of what the springs looked like at the time and it was more of a tiny waterfall than a dripping spring... nice! It was a bit of an impromptu trip so I had on running shoes, shorts, and no sun block. I was a bit worried, but I came for the adventure so YOLO.Lucky for me the trail is a pretty well maintained one that really doesn't require you to put on boots. It's all pretty much uphill, but the incline isn't crazy so you'll only run out of breath if you decide to run up it (or power walk).There's a lot of historical facts about the different buildings you see on the way and I was informed (after we visited) that some of the buildings are haunted... I feel a Halloween hike a brewin'.Getting to the springs is fairly easy and the area is tucked away from the blaring sun so it makes for a great IG photo-op. Other than a tarantula on our way down the hill, we didn't see much wildlife (mostly because it's so traveled on) so you don't have a whole lot to worry about.Not a super interesting hike until you get to the first buildings, but you do get gorgeous views. I think we'll be back in this area to check out the other trails because there were quite a few. Definitely recommend for beginner hikers or anyone who just wants a change of scenery on a hike.

This hike was such a blast today. Actually pretty busy, lots of other people there. The weather was perfect. The trails are big enough that social distancing is doable, except when you have to walk past someone going the other way. We went down the dog friendly trail with Bear today. The trail was easy and kid and dog friendly!

Nice hike with views and local history. One out-and-back leg leads to a mountain camp, ruins of a stone hotel, and dilapidated "sanitarium" buildings. If you go up to the sanitarium, and follow a trail off to the left, up stone steps away from the sanitarium, you get nice views, and supposedly can get up to two reservoirs. The loop around to the Cueva parking lot offers opportunities to scramble up the hill on one spur, and to see the "waterfall" (depending on the season). From the Cueva lot back to the visitor center, past the cave, isn't always easy to folliw the trail, but it's there, a couple options, and you can see the visitors center anyways, so you won't get lost.

A tough, but beautiful hike through desert landscape and plenty of wildlife. There is also a waterfall that runs after a good rain or snow.