| A quiet desert oasis, Leasburg Dam State Park offers peace and relaxation, cactus gardens, several short trails, and opportunities for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. The dam channels water from the Rio Grande for irrigation in the Mesilla Valley. Nearby Fort Selden State Monument has a museum and trails at the site of a 19th century army outpost.Leasburg Dam, constructed in 1908 is one of the oldest diversion dams in the state and the canal system irrigates extensive farmlands as far south as Las Cruces. The park has attractive picnic and camping facilities on the Rio Grande, a modern restroom with showers, and a playground.The large, well-tended Cactus Patch botanical gardens contain numerous species of cacti and other desert plants with identifying labels. These include huge yucca and agave, cholla, cow's tongue, prickly pear, mesquite, creosote bush, and ocotillo. In addition to the Cactus Patch, there are a number of smaller cactus gardens throughout the park, which look spectacular in spring when the cactus are in bloom. The trails here are used mostly for after-dinner or early morning walks, or as shortcuts to various sections of the park. |
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