Weary of self-isolation? Take a hike!

Editor’s note: If you hike or enjoy any outdoor activity, be sure to follow all New Mexico Department of Health guidelines for social distancing and other practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Some trails and recreational areas have been temporarily closed.

Two Las Cruces authors and outdoor enthusiasts have a great suggestion for a way to deal with self-isolation during the current public health crisis: Take a hike!

Devon Fletcher, who has a degree in English with a minor in geology and works with special education students for Las Cruces Public Schools, and Las Cruces native David Soules, who has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and is a member of the state Game Commission, wrote and published “Exploring Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument” (OMDO) in late 2018 to guide visitors to the ancient sites, historic places and silent corners throughout the nearly half-million acres that became a national monument in 2014.

The 213-page book details 56 hikes into the monument’s five major mountain ranges (the Doña Anas, Sierra de las Uvas, Robledos, Potrillos and Organs) and includes a map of each hike, its length, duration, difficulty and elevation change, as well as the driving time and vehicle terrain to reach it. 

The book also provides information about OMDP’s nine officially designated trails, all of which are either entirely in or start in the Organ Mountains and are recommended by the authors for first-time hikers.

Once a hiker has a little experience, “you can go exploring off trail, and here’s how to do it,” said Soules, pointing to the book. 

Here are favorite hikes suggested in March by the authors:

Devon Fletcher: “I would encourage people to try something new, not just the few official trails in the Organ Mountains, which I've already seen are getting quite a bit of traffic. (Try) Split Rock Canyon, Rocotillo Canyons, Apache Canyon in the Robledos, Chivatos Canyon, Broad Canyon, Coyote Canyon, Silva Canyon, Hersey and Angostura Arroyos in the Sierra de las Uvas, any of our hikes in the Doña Ana  Mountains, Foster Canyon area or the East and West Potrillos.”

“Folks need to branch out a bit, get out of their comfort zones, if they have a reliable vehicle (high clearance may be needed), they'll be okay. I've been hiking several times this week and have seen a few people in normally remote places, which is good. People can also reference my blog, southernnewmexicoexplorer@blogspot.com, which has close to 500 entries for our larger region for places to go, and they can feel free to email me for help as many people do already.”

David Soules: “Besides the more common and well-known hikes, I would suggest a couple that are easily accessible and probably appropriate for the whole family. One of those is the Rough & Ready Highpoint.  It is accessible via a paved road most of the way, and it has some beautiful yellow flowers right now. When you get to the top, it has some beautiful views. I also like Picacho Peak, but that is fairly common.  Near Picacho Peak is Box Canyon. For those who have not visited that site, I think they would enjoy it.  

Another very nice hike is Peña Blanca. Now that there is a wilderness in that area, there is about a one-mile hike to get to Peña Blanca on what is now an abandoned road, or about half that cutting across country. Requiring a bit longer drive, I would recommend Silva and Candler canyons.”

 “Exploring Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument” is generally available at several local bookstores, as well as amazon.com. 

Contact Fletcher at devfletch@msn.com. Visit www.organmountains.org.