NMSU is on the edge of the southern New Mexico city of Las Cruces and the neighboring town of Old Mesilla , which are part of an urban community of approximately 75,000 people. The Rio Grande borders the city on the west, and on the east are the rugged Organ Mountains, so named for their resemblance to organ pipes. Highest peak in this picturesque range is the Organ Needle, which rises to more than 9,000 feet. The surrounding mesas are classified as cool deserts, and the adjacent Mesilla Valley is a fertile agricultural industry, including Stahmann Farms , one of the largest pecan groves in the world. The climate is considered by many to be ideal, with an average minimum temperature of 44 degrees and an average maximum of 77.
Summer heat is moderated by low humidity and cool nights.
Within a half-hour's drive are areas for mountain hiking on established trails, rock climbing, and hunting for fossils and semiprecious gems. The border cities of El Paso, Texas , and Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico , about 50 miles south, have a combined population of more than one million people. El Paso hosts the annual Sun Carnival and the John Hancock Sun Bowl. Bullfights, nightclubs, greyhound racing, colorful markets, and restaurants draw people over the border. About two hours northwest of Las Cruces lies the Gila Wilderness, which offers remote areas for excellent trout fishing and camping as well as a centuries-old Indian pueblo, the Gila Cliff Dwellings.