Today we had a nice 4 mile hike to Dripping Springs. It was Butterfield Stage stop until 1861. Later it was developed as "Van Patten's Mountain Camp." It had approximately 16 rooms, a large dining room, and a concert hall. It was very popular around the turn of the century and many famous people, including Pat Garret and Pancho Villa, stayed here.
The gently slopping trail rises up to Dripping Springs
A vacant fixer upper.
Looking back at Las Cruces , 17 miles away.
Some of the old Butterfield Stage building that Van Patten used as out building for his "camp."
Old weathered stuff
Very interesting ruins, but there was no information on the function of the rooms and buildings.
How the resort looked in better times.
Van Patten built a small dam to capture the water from Dripping Springs. It is now silted in.
Janet, Trish and Phil enjoying the view before we head down the hill.
The Organ Mountains originated about 32 million years ago in the middle of the Tertiary Period. At that time, magma began to ooze from great depths, pushing up the overlying layers of rock. The magma that did not reach the surface cooled slowly and today forms the craggy granite Organ batholiths.
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