Presidential Staircase

Located at the northern tip of the Chihuahuan Desert, the Southern Robledo Mountains are home to the 100th active U.S. national monument, the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, and within that, the Robledo Mountains OHV Trail System. Just four short miles northwest of Las Cruces, this network of trails, including extreme OHV and mountain bike trails, is easy to get to and close to all of the conveniences and services of a modern city. The Presidential Staircase trail is a great warmup along the way to some of the more difficult trails in the system. The scene from the top of this moderate climb is a truly spectacular 360-degree view of the area. The OHV areas are separate from the Monument's sensitive fossilized trackway, and motorized vehicle travel is only permitted on designated trails and roads. Official signage for the trails is well and frequently placed, so it's easy to spot. The Monument includes a major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized footprint megatrackways containing footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, and insects (including previously unknown species), plants, and petrified wood dating back 280 million years.