The City of Las Cruces is located in south central New Mexico approximately 50 miles north of El Paso, Texas. It encircles some 35 square miles and is the second largest city in the State of New Mexico in terms of both size and population. The City's western boundary extends to the Las Cruces International Airport along I-10 and its eastern boundary lies near the base of the Organ Mountains. The northern and southern borders for the City extend from just north of the US Highway 70 and I-25 Interchange to just south of the campus of New Mexico State University, respectively (see Figure 3).
The physical diversity within the City is as wide ranging as its borders. The Rio Grande runs along the western edge of the City forming a north-south green belt predominately of agricultural and residential land uses. The river valley is flanked on the east by arroyos, small desert hills, and the Organ Mountains; to the west lies a flat, relatively undeveloped desert mesa.
Mesilla
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