San Augustin Mountains, Mountain range near Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The San Augustin Mountains are a mountain range in the Chihuahuan Desert south of Las Cruces, marked by several prominent peaks including Bear Peak. The range is cut through by San Augustin Pass, which provides a major route between the city and the White Sands area.

The range takes its name from San Augustin Pass at its southern end, the gap where U.S. Route 70 runs between Las Cruces and Organ before turning northeast toward White Sands and Alamogordo. The pass and the range sit at the southern terminus of the San Andres Mountains, and the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge covers roughly a 30-mile stretch of the ridgeline to the north.

The name San Augustin is applied to the range, its southern pass and its southern peak, San Augustin Peak at 7,030 feet. U.S. Route 70 crosses the range at San Augustin Pass, the southern border, on its way from Las Cruces and Organ toward White Sands and Alamogordo. Organ, a townsite, sits at the southwest foothills.

The best way to explore the range is via U.S. Route 70, which passes through the mountains and offers scenic views from the road. The area is dry and sunny, so bring plenty of water and prepare for hot weather.

The range's highpoint is Bear Peak, 7,087 feet (2,160 m), at the northern end of the ridgeline; the south end is closed by San Augustin Peak at 7,030 feet (2,143 m). Black Mountain, 7,008 feet (2,136 m), stands northeast of Bear Canyon, separated from the main ridgeline. Quartzite Mountain, 6,763 feet (2,061 m), is an outlier to the northwest, and Mineral Hill, 6,154 feet (1,876 m), lies to the southeast.