On March 11, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is offering a guided hike, featuring the “Characters of the Past" commemorating the colorful history of the Dripping Springs Natural Area. The hike will begin at 4:00 p.m. from the Dripping Springs Visitor Center and proceed for a mile and a half on Dripping Springs Trail.
Located in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, the Dripping Springs Natural Area is filled with significant prehistoric and historical resources. The hike will include re-enactments from some of the bygone era characters, including Florence Cox, wife of ranching mogul A.B. Cox; Emilia Ascarate Van Patten, daughter of Colonel Eugene Van Patten and owner of the Van Patten Resort; and Mariana Perez Fountain, wife of Colonel Albert Fountain and son, Henry, who were murdered in 1896.
The stories about the Van Patten Mountain Camp, Boyd Sanatorium, Organ Mining District’s Modoc Mine, and the Fountain murder mystery will come to life, with the characters highlighting the area’s rich cultural legacy. Throughout the hike, participants will learn about the people and events that occurred in this beautiful landscape hundreds of years ago.
The Dripping Springs Natural Area is located 10 miles east of Las Cruces, on the west side of the Organ Mountains. From Exit 1 on Interstate 25, take University Avenue/Dripping Springs Road to the parking lot of the Dripping Springs Visitor Center.
While the “Characters of the Past" program is free to the public, a $5.00 vehicle pass to the Dripping Springs Natural Area will apply (except for those who have the Golden Age, Access, America the Beautiful, or Las Cruces District Office Recreation Pass).
The public is advised to dress appropriately (in layers) for the weather, as the hike will ascend in altitude. In addition, outdoor essentials and a camera are recommended, as well as a flashlight for the return hike to the Visitor Center, which may be after sunset.
For more information, contact Daniella Barraza 575-525-4487 or the BLM Las Cruces District at 575-525-4300 or visit the office at 1800 Marquess Street in Las Cruces.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
