Alamo Hueco Mountains

Alamo Hueco Mountains
Mountain Range
Country United States
State New Mexico
Region New Mexico Bootheel
((northwest)-Chihuahuan Desert)
District Hidalgo County NM
Borders on Playas Valley-NW, W & SW
Big Hatchet Mountains-N
Chihuahuan DesertChihuahua-E
Dog Mountains-S
City Alamo Hueco, NM–Pierce, NM
(McFarlands, New Mexico)
Landmarks Continental Divide of the Americas
(Scenic Trail–
east ranges),
(Contintal Divide
(west ranges, across Playas Valley)
Coordinates
Highest point Pierce Peak (New Mexico)
 - location Alamo Hueco Mountains
 - elevation 6,159 ft (1,877 m)
 - coordinates
Length 15 mi (24 km), NW-SE
Width 8 mi (13 km)
Alamo Hueco Mountains in New Mexico

The Alamo Hueco Mountains are a 15 mile (24 km) long, mountain range in southeast Hidalgo County, New Mexico, adjacent the border of Chihuahua state, Mexico. The range lies near the southern end of the mountains bordering the extensive north-south Playas Valley; the Little Hatchet and Big Hatchet Mountains are adjacent north. The much smaller Dog Mountains are adjacent south.

While the Continental Divide of the Americas traverses the western perimeter mountains of the Playas Valley, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail traverses the entire mountain ranges on the east side of the Playas Valley; the Scenic Trail continues south into the Chihuahuan Desert region of northwest Chihuahua.

Contents

Description

The range is 15 mi long and only about 8 mi wide. It trends northwest by southeast and abuts the Dog Mountains to the south on the Mexico-United States border. The Alamo Hueco Mountains lie in the southeast corner of New Mexico's 'Bootheel', so the Chihuahua border also lies to the east of the mountain range.

The highest peak in the range is Pierce Peak (New Mexico), 6,159 feet (1,877 m),[1] near the range's center-northeast; the peak is located at .[2] Hat Top Mountain at 5,168 feet (1,575 m) is located on the extreme southeast of the range, and separated from the main northwest-southeast ridgeline.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

The Continental Divide lies north of the Big Hatchet Mountains and traverses the northern Playas Valley on its water divide. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail comes through the Big Hatchet's in two trails, at the center and one in the north; also subtrails lead off southeasterly. The main traverse of the Scenic Trail exits from the southwest quarter of the range, to meet the northwest end of the Alamo Hueco Mountains.

References

  1. ^ New Mexico, DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, p. 52-53.
  2. ^ Pierce Peak, trails.com [1]

External links

Range Highpoint–Big Hatchet Peak


Alamo Hueco Mountains