Another Trek in the National Monument

Tortugas Mountain from Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument

Dr. K, Becca and I headed out to OMDP National Monument for a long trek on the Sierra Vista Trail early this morning.  There were already three cars in the parking lot and several SUVs off the road where people were camping in the desert.  We crossed paths with three mountain bikers, and we saw two women hikers at a distance, but that was the extent of human contact during our hike.  The temperature was a cool 62F when we started off, and it wasn't much warmer by the time we finished--a thoroughly pleasant morning for an outing.

Organ Mountains

Trekking along the Sierra Vista Trail, OMDPNM

Long view across the high desert

Look closely and you'll see a young Mule Deer buck through the Ocotillo

Chihuahuan Desert grassland

Mountains in shadow

Mountain biking the high desert

Partially out of shadow

Two mountain bikers

Closeup view of the Organ Mountains

A few miles from the northern terminus

Long view of the Organs

The happy hiker

Shadow and light on the mountains

Distant view of the range

Rolling hills, jagged mountains

Just west of the boundary

View on the way into the national monument