The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is located in the Chihuahuan Desert of Southern New Mexico. This series of mountain ranges won its designation as a monument in 2014. The monument encompasses nearly 500,000 acres and completely surrounds the city of Las Cruces, with a population of just over 100,000. One can find solitude literally minutes away in any direction. The elevation ranges from 3,900 to 9,000 feet above sea level with a vast variation in vegetation, from creosote to cacti to ponderosa pine. Most photographers are drawn to the dramatic spires of the Organ Mountains, but there’s so much more to explore in this large and diverse national monument. Weather Weather here can vary greatly. On a winter’s day, it...