View source for Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument

{{Infobox protected area
| name = Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument
| photo = 
| photo_alt = Sugarloaf Peak, Organ Mountains 
| photo_caption = Sugarloaf Peak, Organ Mountains
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_alt = A map of New Mexico showing the location of Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument
| map_caption = 
| map_width = 
| location = [[Doña Ana County, New Mexico|Doña Ana County]], [[New Mexico]], [[United States]]
| nearest_city = [[Las Cruces, NM]]
| coords = {{coord|32.326|N|106.555|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref = <ref>{{cite gnis|920657|Organ Mountains|May 22, 2014}}</ref>
| area = {{convert|496330|acre|ha}}
| established = May 21, 2014
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| governing_body = [[Bureau of Land Management]]
| website = [https://www.blm.gov/visit/omdp Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument]
| embedded1 = {{designation list | embed = yes
  | designation1 = NMON
  | designation1_date = 
  }}
}}

[[File:Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument (17717943249).jpg|thumb|Moonrise over Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument]]

The '''Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument''' is a [[United States National Monument|United States national monument]] in the state of [[New Mexico]], managed by the [[Bureau of Land Management]] as part of the [[National Landscape Conservation System]].

==Description==
[[File:Organ Mountains WSA (9469542743).jpg|thumb|Organ Mountains]]

The {{convert|496,330|acre|ha|adj=on}} monument is located in the [[Mesilla Valley]] in southern New Mexico, surrounding the city of [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]] in [[Doña Ana County, New Mexico|Doña Ana County]]. The protected area includes several mountain ranges of the [[Chihuahuan Desert]]. The five identified as being within the national monument are the [[Robledo Mountains]], [[Sierra de las Uvas]], [[Doña Ana Mountains]], [[Organ Mountains (New Mexico)|Organ Mountains]] and [[West Potrillo Mountains|Potrillo Mountains]].<ref name="Proclamation"/> The [[Prehistoric Trackways National Monument]] is nearby.<ref name="Proclamation"/> The monument protects a large variety of geological, paleontological and archaeological resources.<ref name="Proclamation">[https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/21/presidential-proclamation-organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument Presidential Proclamation – Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument], [[Barack Obama]], [[The White House]], 21 May 2014</ref>

President [[Barack Obama]] designated the monument on May 21, 2014.<ref name=wash>{{cite web|title=Obama declares the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks region of N.M. a national monument|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/05/21/obama-declares-the-organ-mountains-desert-peaks-region-of-n-m-a-national-monument/|work=Published May 21, 2014|publisher=Washington Post|access-date=22 May 2014}}</ref> Half of the monument is designated [[National Wilderness Preservation System|wilderness]] and closed to development or motorized use.<ref name=geog/>

==Protected areas==
Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks protects many archaeological and cultural sites of interest.<ref>{{cite web|title=Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks|url=http://www.nmwild.org/our-work/organ-mountains-desert-peaks/|publisher=New Mexico Wilderness Alliance|access-date=22 May 2014}}</ref> Before the [[Gadsden Purchase]] of 1853, this land included the border between Mexico and the United States.<ref name=fact/> The [[Aden Lava Flow Wilderness]] is here<ref name="Proclamation"/> and there are 243 known archaeological sites within the monument,<ref name=geog>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140522220749/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140521-national-monument-new-mexico-obama/ New National Monument Created in New Mexico], National Geographic, retrieved 9 June 2014</ref> including some of the earliest Native American settlements and [[petroglyph]]s known from three different tribes.<ref name=geog/> The land also includes [[Shelter Cave]] and [[Conkling Cavern]].<ref name=fact>[http://www.organmountains.org/the-monument/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument-fact-sheet/ Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument Fact Sheet], organmountains.org, retrieved 9 June 2014</ref> Fossils of [[ground sloth]]s have been found in the area.<ref name="Proclamation"/>

More recently the land was used by William H. Bonney, better known as the outlaw [[Billy the Kid]], and [[Geronimo]], a leader during the [[Apache Wars]], both of whom lived in various parts of New Mexico in the 19th century.<ref name=geog/> It is said that Billy the Kid visited "Outlaw Rock", and there is a cave known as "Geronimo's Rock".<ref name=fact/> The monument also includes {{convert|22|mi}} of the historic [[Butterfield Overland Mail|Butterfield Stagecoach Trail]].<ref name=nwwild/>

The monument includes sites where [[World War II]] bombers practiced their targeting, as well as [[Kilbourne Hole]] in the [[Potrillo volcanic field]], where American astronauts trained for lunar missions in the 1960s.<ref name=nwwild>[http://www.nmwild.org/2014/news/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument-to-be-protected/ Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument to be Protected], nwwild.org, retrieved 9 June 2014</ref>

==Campaign for establishment==
The area was given national monument status following a campaign by conservation advocates that lasted several years. Several bills were introduced in Congress to protect the area through legislation, but they were blocked by House Republicans. In contrast with some previous monument designations, communities and governments of [[Doña Ana County]] were supportive of the application for designation. A poll found that 60 percent of the local voters favored establishing this land as a 500,000-acre national monument.<ref name=Poll>[http://www.organmountains.org/news/poll-finds-strong-support-for-larger-organ-mountains-proposal/ Poll finds strong support for larger Organ Mountains proposal], Phil Taylor, ''Environment and Energy Publishing'', 23 January 2014</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of national monuments of the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist}} 

{{Commons category|Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument}}

==External links==
* [https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument BLM.gov: official '''Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument''' website]
:*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmnewmexico/sets/72157644381238958 BLM.gov: Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument photos album] 
* [https://organmountainsdesertpeaks.org Friends of Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument] – ''public group''.

{{Protected Areas of New Mexico}}
{{National Monuments of the United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument}}
[[Category:Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument| ]]
[[Category:National monuments in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Bureau of Land Management national monuments]]
[[Category:Bureau of Land Management areas in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Doña Ana County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Units of the National Landscape Conservation System]]
[[Category:National monuments designated by Barack Obama]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 2014]]
[[Category:2014 establishments in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert]]