Cathey Peak

{{Short description|Mountain in New Mexico, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Cathey Peak

| photo =

| photo_caption =

| elevation_ft = 9645

| elevation_ref = {{cite loj |id=11827 |name=Cathey Peak |accessdate=2014-02-12}}

| prominence =

| location = Otero County, New Mexico, U.S.

| range = Sacramento Mountains

| map = New Mexico

| map_caption = Location in New Mexico

| map_size = 200

| label =

| label_position =

| coordinates = {{coord|32.8075924|N|105.799703|W|type:mountain_region:US-NM_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| range_coordinates =

| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis |id = 1988161 |name=Cathey Peak |accessdate=2009-01-22}}

| topo = USGS Sacramento Peak

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = Road

}}

Cathey Peak is a peak in the Sacramento Mountains, in the south-central part of the U.S. State of New Mexico. It lies in Otero County, {{convert|10|mi|0}} southeast of the community of Alamogordo.

Sacramento Peak, at {{convert|9262|ft|m|0}},{{cite ngs |id=CW0939|name=Sac |accessdate=2009-01-20}} is a nearby subpeak of Cathey Peak, and is more widely known due to the presence of several observatories on or near its summit. It is located at {{coord |32.7878701 |-105.8208140 |format=dms |region:US-NM_type:mountain_source:GNIS |display=inline |name=Sacramento Peak}},{{cite gnis |id=910505 |name=Sacramento Peak |accessdate=2009-01-20}} {{convert|1.6|mi|km|1}} southwest of Cathey Peak, and has a topographic prominence of approximately {{convert|80|ft|m|0}}.{{cite peakbagger |id=20226 |name=Sacramento Peak, New Mexico |accessdate=2014-02-12}} The Sunspot Solar Observatory is on the summit itself, and the site of this observatory incorporates the small town of Sunspot, less than one-half mile (0.8 km) to the northeast. The Apache Point Observatory is located on a promontory about one-half mile (0.8 km) south of the summit.

Both peaks lie on the high western crest of the Sacramento Mountains, and hence have gentle, forested eastern slopes, and a steep, high escarpment to the west, descending to the Tularosa Basin. Both peaks can be accessed using New Mexico Scenic Byway 6563 from Cloudcroft.