may 2021
Alamogordo
Where: southern New Mexico
Directions: north of El Paso via US 54; northeast of Las Cruces via US 70
Good to Know:
* At the Dripping Springs Natural Area dogs are not allowed on the popular Dripping Springs Trail but can use La Cueva Trail in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
Why so good:
THE NATIONAL PARK.
Covering almost 200,000 acres, White Sands boasts the largest area of gypsum sand dunes in the world. The gypsum dissolves in nearby mountains during rainstorms and instead of being carried off by a river (this is an arid environment) wind sends the gypsum crystals into piles of brilliantly white sand dunes in the Tularosa Basin. After much lobbying for the development of the dunes as a national park, White Sands instead was designated a national monument in 1933. In 2020 White Sands finally got the call to join the big boys as America’s 62nd National Park. The elevation in status also immediately made White Sands America’s dog-friendliest national park. Many will opt for a deserted dune area to play with your dog in the glistening sand box but there are trails to try as well. The Playa Trail is a short, flat, hard-packed walk out-and-back into a dried (usually) lake bed. The Interdune Boardwalk is a quick journey into the dunes for those who don’t want to wiggle toes into the sand. There are three hiking trails that have been marked out in the dunes by Carsonite posts: the Dune Life Nature Trail is a sporty one-mile loop with opportunities to spot wildlife tracks in the sand other than paws. The Backcountry Camping Trail heads off into the heart of the dunes but can be sampled with an out-and-back day hike as well. The marquee tramp in the sand at White Dunes is the Alkali Flat Trail that leads to the flat at the edge of the park property - and the White Sands Missile Range - but is anything but flat. The 5.2-mile loop is one of the best walks in New Mexico as it bounds up and down dunes with the San Andres Mountains as a backdrop. Wise dogs know that on the Alkali Flat Trail you don’t have to head straight from post to post - sometimes the better choice is a little longer trek on the ridge around a 60-foot dune rather than down and back up.
THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.
The Organ Mountains make a sudden thrust from the floor of the Chihuahuan Desert to 9,000 feet. They once formed a logical border between the United States and Mexico. Through the years characters such as Geronimo and Billy the Kid found refuge here. The Organs are just one of several ranges protected in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that feature more than 240 known archaeological sites and another estimated 5,000 as yet to be discovered. One of the best ways to explore the Organ Mountains is on the 6-mile Pine Tree Loop that begins at the Aguirre Recreation Area campground. As the trail climbs moderately through desert terrain and impressive alligator juniper trees it reaches just under the peaks in forests thick with Ponderosa pine. Views back towards the White Sands and Alamogordo are nearly ever-present.
THE NATIONAL FOREST.
Even at an elevation of 4,230 feet Alamogordo can get mighty hot in the summer. It didn’t take too many summers of looking at the refreshing pine forests another mile up in the mountains before a railroad was started to reach cooler climes. The 26-mile route required the construction of 58 wooden bridges to reach Cloudcroft with one of the most spectacular standard gauge railways ever constructed. Five trains a day would make the nearly 3-hour journey until the 1940s. The line has mostly been subsumed by today’s Route 82 and the only evidence of the railroad is the breathtaking Mexican Canyon trestle. This is now Lincoln National Forest land and trails have been cut along and around the route, including T-5001 that will take your dog right to the edge of the Mexican Canyon trestle. Other adventures include pedestrian tunnels and bridges along the Old Cloudcroft Hwy Trail and the Switchback Trail that gives you an idea of how the railroad needed to progress to conquer the climb to its destination “in the clouds.”
THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.
The Soledad Canyon Day Use Area is an opportunity to explore the western slopes of the Organ Mountains where two canyons - the Bar and the Soledad - spill out to come together. This is easy going in the desert before climaxing at the plunge pool of a seasonal waterfall - a total of three miles. Also on the western side of the Organs is the ballyhooed Dripping Springs hike that dogs can not take but La Cueva Trail offers more desert terrain and scenic views.
THE STATE PARK.
Oliver Lee was a rancher and gunfighter who spent time on both sides of the law. His spread was near Dog Canyon which provides the most scenic exploration into the Sacramento Mountains, south of Alamogordo. The Dog Canyon Trail gets right into it - or on top of it, if you will - as it switches back and forth up the south side of the ravine. The route eventually reaches a level bench and begins its rocky climb again to a second bench that is pastureland once used as summering grounds for Comanche Indians. For most people the destination is the remains of a stone cabin 2.9 miles into the canyon. Your dog may even find water spilling from a spring across the rocks here. Hardy canine hikers can continue another two miles up and out the north side of Dog Canyon, eventually gaining over 3,000 feet in elevation before heading back down to the trailhead. Besides the inspiring views inside the canyon there are long, memorable views out the mouth and across to the White Sands.