Baylor Peak, Organ Mountains

Last  month I ran the Baylor Pass and Pine Tree Loop trails in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in Las Cruces, NM. This is a challenging route that takes you over Baylor Pass (6400’) and down to Aguirre Springs Campground for a total roundtrip of 12 miles. From the campground, you can run the Pine Tree Loop which adds an extra 4 miles and takes you up to almost 6900’. The trail takes you high onto the eastern slopes of the mountains where you have spectacular views of the angular peaks of the Organ Needles with Ponderosa pines towering above you.

Read: Baylor Canyon and Pine Tree Trail

Organ Mountains

Every time I run this trail I ponder tackling Baylor Peak (7721’) which can be reached by following a side trail from the pass itself. This one has been on my bucket list for many years so I decided to return on a January day to give it try. I read up on the route and learned that there is a bit of route finding and scrambling to get all the way to the summit so I had some trepidation before beginning.