San Diego Mountain (New Mexico) facts for kids
San Diego Mountain, also known as Tonuco Mountain, is a cool American summit located about 22 miles northwest of Las Cruces, New Mexico. It's found in Doña Ana County and stands tall at 4,951 feet (which is about 1,509 meters) above sea level.
A Look Back: History of San Diego Mountain
San Diego Mountain sits on the east side of the Rio Grande river. Long ago, it marked a very important spot called the Paraje de San Diego. This "paraje" was a special campsite used by Spanish travelers along a famous old road called the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.
The Royal Road and Water Stops
The El Camino Real was a long, historic trail that connected Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Paraje de San Diego was a crucial stop on a tough part of this trail known as the Jornada del Muerto. This name means "Journey of the Dead Man" because it was a very dry and dangerous stretch.
Travelers at Paraje de San Diego could get water from the Rio Grande. This was their last chance for water until they reached another river stop, the Paraje de Fray Cristóbal, which was quite a long distance away.
Crossings and Connections
Later on, San Diego Mountain also became important for the San Diego Crossing. This was a place where people could cross the Rio Grande. A special shortcut from the El Camino Real would lead to this crossing.
After crossing the river, travelers would connect with another important path called Cooke's Wagon Road. This meeting point was on high ground overlooking a big bend in the Rio Grande. Near this spot, there were once military camps like Camp Garland and later, Fort Thorn.
