Deming, a small town of about 14,099, is located in the SW part of New Mexico about 60 miles W of Las Cruces and 33 miles N of the border of Mexico. It's about half way between Tucson, Arizona and El Paso, Texas along Interstate 10.
It is the county seat for Luna County, population 24,000. It is a land of ever present sun and flowing desert rocks and cacti. It is a rich agricultural area with beautiful cattle farms and crops of chilies, onions, cotton and pecans. It is known for 99% pure water.
I've started seeing quite a few snowbirds stay here and in 2018 I noticed two new RV parks on the west side of the Florida Mountains. Many also retire here because it's affordable. Besides the low cost of living and affordable taxes, it offers a municipal airport, hospital/ambulance service, nursing home, senior citizens center, library, over 40 churches, over 80 listed organizations, the Rio Mimbres Country Club, an 18 hole golf course, a civic center, public auditorium, schools and a community college.
Good timing seeing a man chip one to the hole in May 2018 at Rio Mimbres!
The elevation is approximately 4335 feet. It's a dry arid climate with low humidity and an average high temperature in July of 95*. That's quite a bit cooler than Tuscon at 100*, Phoenix at 106* and Yuma at 107*. People with arthritis are drawn here because it keeps the swelling and inflammation down and this is something that I can certainly relate to! The average rainfall is 9 inches. They receive occasional snowfall but it quickly melts. They are well known for their winters, offering plenty of sunshine and little rain to the snowbirds enjoying their RV's!
The Florida Mountains offers a spectacular background to these wide-open spaces. It is matched by its friendly hospitality. Click Here for more information about Rock Hound State Park, a favorite place for the locals. Rock hounders can hunt for quartz crystals, geodes, jasper, perlite, and many other minerals. You are allowed to take home up to 15 pounds! It also offers trails, unique geology, wildflower displays, and a peaceful campground.
In October 2015 I hiked into a canyon that was south of Cookes Peak and saw some fabulous petroglyphs in a cave!
A video I made of my journey to Luna County in October 2015. Buddy and I hiked into a canyon to see petroglyphs in a cave! Wow was that fabulous!
Cookes Canyon, a passage way thru the mountains, was part of the 3,000 mile historic southern mail route called the Butterfield Trail that began in Tennessee and ended in San Francisco. There are so many things to explore here, old abandoned mines and the famous Fort Cummings used in the 1800s to protect from Indian raids. Cookes Range Wilderness Study Area, petroglyphs at Massacre Peak and waterfalls at Black Rock Canyon are just a few things to see nearby. It's also home to the City of Rock State Park which I visited for my first time in July 2017!
Bill Evans Lake sits about 80 miles NW of Deming and is a favorite fishing spot to the locals. It is the home of the biggest bass ever caught in New Mexico at 15 lbs 13 oz and was 26.5" long in 1995! It turns out Evans was an attorney at Phelps Dodge in the 1960's who helped acquire the land/water rights to build the reservoir located 300 feet above the Gila River.
In September 2017, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe was awarded an $800,000 grant from the federal government to help build a 3000 square foot convenience store and fuel station at its property in Akela about 20 miles E of Deming and 30 miles W of Las Cruces along Interstate 10. The tribe plans to pitch in additional revenue toward the project; the exact amount hasn’t been finalized, but it could range up to $1.5 million or more, according to a tribal official. The Fort Sill Apache Tribe are descendants of the Chiricahua Apache Tribe whose leaders include Cochise and Geronimo. I've visited the Chiricahua and Cochise Mountains - worth checking out and great American history!
In April 2023 the new Valero gas station at the Akela Flats exit along I-10.
Las Cruces, population 101,759, is a beautiful city and the county seat for Dona Ana and the 2nd largest city in New Mexico. It sits 60 miles E of Deming and 40 miles N of of El Paso, Texas. I spent some time on their Economic Development website and see they have quite a bit planned for the future including renovating the Las Cruces airport for daily regional commercial flights and a commuter rail to El Paso. The federal government is the major employer with the nearby White Sands Test Facility and White Sands Missile Range. I’ve met several people who work for US Customs and commute daily from Las Cruces to the Columbus border crossing 35 miles south of Deming.