Prehistoric Trackways National Monument

Prehistoric Trackways National Monument protects a section of the Robledo Mountains northwest of Las Cruces. Its rocks preserve footprints and other traces left by amphibians, reptiles, insects, and plants around 280 million years ago, long before the first dinosaurs appeared. It’s actually the largest collection of vertebrate trace fossils in the world and was discovered by a local Las Cruces resident in 1987.

Things to Do

Search for Tracks

Fossilized footprints and trackways can be found in the exposed rock, although many are tiny and difficult to recognize without a guide. Most of the best specimens have been removed for protection and scientific study. If you’re expecting to see tracks, I would not get your hopes up for a footprint.

Hike the Robledo Mountains

The monument contains rocky desert trails, arroyos, steep ridges, and wide views across the Mesilla Valley. This is the main draw in my opinion as the scenery is nice and you get beautiful views of the Mesilla Valley and Organs. The terrain can be rough and and the park is largely undeveloped, so bring plenty of water and avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day. Take the Ridgeline trail in loop back on discovery for a nice 2 hour hike.

See the Tracks in Las Cruces

The Las Cruces Museum of Nature and Science displays two large trackways collected from the monument, including one approximately 30 feet long. This is the easiest place to see and learn about the fossils before exploring the monument itself. This made me feel better about not finding any tracks in the monument.

How Long To Spend

You can see the park in a less than an hour if you just want to take a short walk to get a view of Las Cruces. Add a few hours for a hike in the monument, and plan for a full day if you want to explore the area more thoroughly. Also, be sure to watch for rattlesnakes, I almost stepped on this guy here: