CONTENTS Day Trips 4 Silver City
Attractions 12 Gila Cliff Dwellings Jump back 700 years in history as you walk through the cave homes of the ancient Mogollon Indians.
Day Trip 1 Silver City and its wonderful history will come to life as you travel with us on your tour.
10 Piños Altos
16 Mimbres Valley An ancient culture walked these river banks, grew crops—and disappeared. Today, modern life thrives.
Day Trip 1B Walk through the 1860s in this historic mining town in tall pine country.
12 Trail of the Mountain
16 City of Rocks Bring a vivid imagination when you’re among these beautiful weather-carved giants.
Spirits Scenic Byway Day Trip 2 Follow the footsteps of the prehistoric cultures—Apaches, Spanish explorers, Mexican farmers, miners—those who walked this area.
21 The Catwalk The Catwalk is a must. Whitewater Creek frothing far below you, rushing through the narrow canyon.
18 Gila High Country Day Trip 3 Bill Evans Lake, the Gila Riparian Preserve, Glenwood, Cooney’s Tomb and more.
20 Neighbors & Ghost Towns Day Trips 4 and 5
22 Billy the Kid In school, Billy grew up as a normal boy . . . and then something changed.
25 Ft. Bayard From Buffalo Soldiers to tuberculosis sanatorium to veteran and geriatric care—giving service since 1863.
Ghost towns and great birding combined with a visit to the South.
24 Mining Day Trip 6
GRANT COUNTY Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce 201 N. Hudson Street Silver City, NM 88061 (575) 538-3785 email: info@silvercity.org
southwestnewmexico.org
1-800-548-9378 ©Keith LeMay 2010. Special thanks to Jackie Blurton, Becky O’Connor, Terry Humble, LeAnne Knudsen. Designed by Zia Publishing. Photos by Joe Burgess unless otherwise noted. Contributing Photographers: Bill Allen, Jackie Blurton, Ralph Fisher, Keith LeMay, Museum of New Mexico, Barry Nielsen, Becky O’Connor, Bob Pelham. Contributing Writers: Jackie Blurton, Kevin Cook, Keith LeMay, Luis Pérez, Dorothy Watson, Betty Woods. Advertising Sales, LeAnne Knudsen 575-388-4444 x 12. Funded in part by Grant County Lodgers Tax.
2 – SCENIC TOURS
Photo by Becky O’Connor
Copper mining from open pit to pure copper. View 200-ton trucks, giant shovels, & modern technology.
Walk through history along the streets of old mining towns. Dance with the ghosts of dancehall girls and miners attired in their finest. Mines like the Little Fanney, the Princess, the Bullfrog... make history come alive. Some of the most historic happenings of the Southwest await you at the Silver City Museum.
Activities 9 Browse the Galleries 11 Rock Hounding 26 Birding 28 Hiking 30 Cycling & Biking Maps 8 Silver City 10 Piños Altos 17 Day Trips 24 Mining 31 Activities = Birding Site
Our Cover Deep into the Gila Wilderness 1,500 foot bluffs tower over the peaceful meadows along the Middle Fork of the Gila River. Photo by Joe Burgess
W E L C O M E TO
SILVER CITY Photo by Jackie Blurton
We hope your stay will be enjoyable. Let us know if we can make your visit more memorable. We’re proud of our multi-cultural community... with our Four Gentle Seasons and warm hospitality. You’ll be attracted to the wonders of the area, the many ancient cultures, and climate zones ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 feet. Browse through these pages... and be prepared to have your expectations exceeded!
W I L L K O M M E N nach Silberstadt! Wir hoffen dass sich ihr Besuch lohnen wird. Vor Millionen von Jahren geschmolzene Felsen lagerten Auslaeufer von Kupfer, Silber und Gold hier ab, und machten diese Gegend die reichste des Suedwestens. Die ersten Indianer bauten Tuerkis ab, und in 1804 gruben die Spanier Kupfer. In 1870 endeckten amerikanische Schuerfer Silber in den Bergen. Silberstadt nutzte ihr trockenes und hohes Klima aus und oeffnete einige Sanatorien. Allmaehlich wurden mehr Mineralentdeckungen in der Umgebung gemacht. Silberstadt wurde das Zentrum des Handels. Wir hoffen dass Sie unsere Gegend geniessen werden! Auf baldiges Wiedersehen!
As you walk through the Gila Cliff Dwellings, you can almost imagine what it would have been like to live here so many years ago. Sacaton Mountain in the Gila National Forest supports an abundance of plant and animal life. Standing like giants in the vast greatness of Southwest New Mexico are the natural monuments known as the City of Rocks State Park.
¡ B I E N V E N I D O S a la Ciudad de Plata! Esperamos que encuentres que tu visita valga la pena. Hace milliones de años que piedra fundida llevó concentraciones de cobre, plata y oro a la superficie aquí, e hizo esta area una de la más ricas del Sudoeste. Los primeros indios minaron la turquesa. En 1804 los españoles minaron el cobre. En 1870 buscadores americanos descubrieron plata en las montañas. La Ciudad de Plata aprovechó su clima seco y altura. Gradualmente se hicieron descubrimientos de más minerales en el área. La Ciudad de Plata se volvió un centro de comercio. Esperamos que disfrutes nuestra area. Y que vuelvas pronto. SCENIC TOURS – 3
Silver City In 1870, a group of American prospectors discovered silver in the hills just above the ciénega (marshy area), and the rush was on. In ten short months, the newly christened Silver City grew from a single cabin to over eighty buildings.
Celebrating 110 Years
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DAY TRIP 1
•18 Rooms & Suites
SILVER CITY HIGHLIGHTS
• Continental Breakfast 106 W. Broadway Silver City, NM 88061
575-388-1811 Reminiscent of a small hotel in the European Tradition. 4 – SCENIC TOURS
www.zianet.com/palacehotel Visit Ol West Gallery & Mercantile next door.
Billy the Kid sites Tyrone Mine Historic Downtown Big Ditch Park Silver City Museum WNMU Museum Western NM University
3, 4, 5, 21 8 10-17 10 12 18 19
m
illions of years ago, fingers of molten rock deposited the copper, silver and gold that would make this one of the Southwest’s richest mineralized areas. Early Indians mined turquoise, and by 1804 the Spanish were digging for copper east of what came to be called the San Vicente Ciénega (today’s Silver City). Silver Discovered. In the spring of 1870, the news reached Piños Altos of a big silver strike at Shakespeare, near today’s Lordsburg. Captain John Bullard and his men rode south to investigate. After examining the ore, one of the men said, “Boys, if this is what silver looks like, we have plenty of it at home.” They hurried back, and began to dig one half mile west of the present courthouse. Ore from the Legal Tender assayed as high as 100 ounces of silver per ton, a real bonanza. News of the “Ciénega Mines” quickly spread. Town of Silver City Originated. In ten short months, Silver City grew from a single cabin to over eighty buildings, and in 1871, Silver City became the county seat. During the early years of development, all of southwestern New Mexico was harassed by Apache raids. The nearest railroad terminal was in Colorado. The county included what is today’s Deming and Lordsburg all the way to the Mexico border. In spite of the crude methods, Silver City mills were producing $16,000 of bullion a week by 1875. It soon became the supply center for the booming industry. By the end of 1872, a local brick plant enabled solid, well-built businesses and houses to be built. In 1875, the first fire engine in the NM Territory made it possible for a volunteer fire department to be formed. When the government telegraph line reached Fort Bayard in 1876, local citizens furnished the materials to connect Silver City with the outside world.
Silver City Museum
DAY TRIP 1
HISTORIC SILVER CITY Map page 8 DAY TRIP 1 will take you through the historic section of Silver City and on to the old mining town of Piños Altos with a side trip to the Freeport-McMoRan Tyrone Open pit mine. Map page 8.
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Visitors Center. Chamber of Commerce. (201 N. Hudson, NM 90) McComas House Site. (500 N. Hudson) Judge H.C. McComas (site 9) in the early 1880s lived on the north end of present post office site. After the floods, this area became Silver City’s famous red light district for 60 years into the late 1960s, then known as “Millie’s.” Billy the Kid Jail Site. (304 N. Hudson) These U.S. Forest Service warehouses are on the site of the jail where in 1875 Billy the Kid, 15, was held for stealing from a Chinese laundry. He escaped out the chimney. Legend suggests Billy killed his first man or knifed a Chinaman at several sites. No evidence can be found. See Sites 4, 5, 21, and 23. Billy the Kid Cabin Site. (Adjacent to Visitors Center) Billy the Kid spent part of his childhood here, in a cabin with his mother, brother, and stepfather. It was torn down by 1894; 1895-1903 floods destroyed the original site. The cabin of that era sitting here was donated by Ron Howard’s 2003 movie, “The Missing.” Star Hotel Site. (South across the street from Visitors Center) Billy the Kid waited tables when he lived here with the Truesdell family following his mother’s death. Carrasco Mill Site. (To SW of Site 5) Lorenzo Carrasco had one of the first ore-grinding mills, which handled ore from Silver City, Piños Altos and other mines. Turn right (west) onto Broadway to Site 10. OPTIONAL TRIP. Sites 7-9 on NM 90 to the south... a look at history and copper mining.
7.
Harrison Schmitt School. (M40.5, NM90) Silver City’s Apollo 17 astronaut/geologist, Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, later US Senator, was chosen for the Apollo 17 moon exploration. 8. Old Tyrone/Phelps Dodge Copper Electrowinning Plant. (M32, NM 90) Phelps Dodge & Company consolidated its holdings beginning in 1909. A “Mediterranean-style” company town was ready in 1915. A drop in copper prices caused it to be abandoned virtually overnight. From 1928-41 it became a dude ranch. In the late 1960s the operation resumed as an open pit mine. Today, the mine is owned by Freeport-McMoRan and supports a modern electrowinning copper recovery plant producing plates of .999 copper. 9. McComas Massacre. (Note: Site ONLY) (M19.1, NM90) Here Judge McComas (Site 2) and his wife were killed by a band of Geronimo’s Apaches in 1883; their 6-year-old son was kidnapped and taken to Mexico. To the northwest on Jack’s Peak, the Smithsonian Institute operated a solar radiation observatory until 1938. 10. Big Ditch Park. (Broadway St. main entrance at Site 15) Originally the town’s Main Street, the “Big Ditch” was formed during a series of floods between 1895-1906. In 1980 it became a city park (see page 7). 11. Bell Block. (200 block W. Broadway) Today the restored Bell Block brightens the downtown. Built in 1897, expanded in 1906, sheathed in galvanized metal stamped with intricate designs resembling carved stone. 12. Silver City Museum. (312 W. Broadway, 538-5921.) The museum, SCENIC TOURS – 5
Photo: Keith LeMay
La Capilla (“The Chapel”)
View of Silver City
with its cupola and Victorian Mansard roof, was once the H.B. Ailman house. Built in 1881, its style and detailing reflect the optimism of the mining boom era. An early pioneer, Ailman came to Silver City penniless, made a fortune in mining, and started the Meredith and Ailman Bank. The museum has permanent and revolving exhibits. Frontier Victoriana is a major theme with household, personal, and business artifacts from early homes and offices forming the basis for exhibits. Ancient Mimbres and Casas Grandes Indian pottery and objects from the early mining town of Tyrone are also featured. The Museum’s photo archive boasts an outstanding collection of early photos. 13. Grant County Courthouse. (Broadway and Cooper) The courthouse was erected in 1930; in the lobby, two murals by Santa Fe artist Theodore Van Soelen depict the area’s ranching and mining. At this point the Tour reverses, going back down Broadway and left on Bullard Street.
14. Bullard Street. On the southwest corner of Bullard and Broadway stands a 1923 bank building (designed by the southwestern architect Henry Trost) with the original terracotta front and brick design. Directly across, on the north, is the 1882 Meredith and Ailman bank, with its original cast-iron front. Many of the buildings date back to the 1880s. The street was named after John Bullard, a founder of Silver City. One year after his discovery of silver in 1870, the 24-year-old Bullard was killed by Apaches (see Site 21). OPTIONAL TOUR SITES. At Market Street to your right is the Big Ditch Park entrance (Site 10) and the Warren House. To the left is Site 16.
15. Warren House. (Market Street) Overlooking the Big Ditch is the 1885 Italianate red brick O.S. Warren house. Once owned by the indefatigable Elizabeth Warren, the first woman insurance agent in NM, it’s today’s only survivor of the Main Street floods. From Bullard Street, turn left onto Market Street.
16. Saint Vincent de Paul Church. (Market and Bayard) This stuccoed adobe was begun in 1874 by the town’s Hispanic community. Its Mission-style front and towers were added in 1908. Directly across from the church, at the SW corner of Market and Piños Altos, is the Queen Anne-style Martin Maher house, built in 1887 of locally-made red brick. Turn right on Black Street, right on Kelly Street, and left onto Bullard Street.
Just before reaching Sixth Street, you will pass on your left two older houses: one at 503 Bullard, built in 1887 as a dentist’s office, and another at 511 Bullard, the Isaac Cohen house built in 1882 and now restored. These buildings were once part of a Victorian residential area. Turn left onto Sixth Street.
17. Sixth Street. On Sixth Street you will pass a number of fine 1880s brick homes. At the northwest corner of Bayard and Sixth street is the Edmund 6 – SCENIC TOURS
1870’s Cabin on Billy the Kid site
SILVER CITY CHARTER. In 1878 Silver City was granted a territorial charter under which the town operates today, one of the oldest of the few territorial charters in the U.S. The city was one of the first to establish a public school and in 1882 became the first independent school district in New Mexico. The Southern Pacific Railroad reached Deming in 1881, inspiring local citizens to build a branch line to Silver City. Telephones were first installed in 1883. An electric light plant was completed the following year— only two years after New York City installed its first electric system. SILVER CITY BOOM OVER! In 1893 the bottom dropped out of the silver market. Mines closed down. Silver City paused, caught its breath, and then moved ahead. The use of brick was encouraged by an 1880 fire ordinance which prohibited frame construction, saving Silver City from the destructive fires of many western towns. Perhaps its sturdy brick architecture helped it defy a ghost town’s fate. Maybe it was the populace of Hispanics and Anglos, determined to make this their home. The cattle industry was well-developed with some large holdings extending as far south as Mexico. At the turn of the century, Silver City’s high, dry climate made it a haven for invalids and
WNMU Museum
tubercular patients. One of the state’s first teaching schools prospered. Eventually, with new mineral discoveries, the town stabilized as the leading metal producer in the state. — edited from Helen Lundwall history THE BIG DITCH (Site 10). After July 21, 1895, Silver City’s Main Street was no longer the principal artery. Floodwaters engulfed the streets as “an immense wall of rolling water, 12' high and 300’ across, roared through the heart of town.” By the next morning, the waters had receded and local residents saw a monstrous ditch 35 feet below the street level. Later floods, especially one in 1903, scraped the ditch down to bedrock at 55 feet. The excavation ran about 15 miles. CHANGES CAUSED. Before the floods, commerce was about equal on either side of Main Street. After the creation of the Big Ditch, a number of “entertainment parlors” moved onto Hudson Street. WHY DID IT HAPPEN? Ground cover absorbed and delayed earlier flood runoff. By 1895, livestock growers and wagon freighters had grazed the higher meadows to bare ground, and wood haulers had stripped forested slopes to feed household fires and industrial furnaces. AFTER THE FLOOD. The watershed is again covered with vegetation, thanks to conservation, including countless “check dams” built by the CCC in the 1930s, and juniper and piñon growth. The Big Ditch is now a community park with paths and picnicking areas and two foot bridges. — Jim Elliott story
Historic Downtown Silver City
Stein home, overlooking the site of New Mexico’s first two-story brick public schoolhouse. At Cooper Street, to the right are 1883 brick rental houses. At the NW corner of Sixth and Black is David Abraham’s 1883 home. Turn right on Black Street. The house at 806 Black Street was owned by Mrs. Thomas Lyons, of the famous “million acre” Lyons & Campbell Ranch; her daughter owned the other houses on this block. (See Tour 3, Site 5.) Continue north, by jogging right onto West Street, go one block, turn left on 10th Street to upper parking areas for WNMU Museum (Site 18). (Elevator access: continue north on West Street, left on 12th Street, left on Alabama Street to Museum parking area.)
18. WNMU Museum. (Two-story Fleming Hall, 538-6386) The museum has the largest permanent display of prehistoric Mimbres pottery in the U.S. These world-famous pots with their painted designs date from the 8th to 12th century A.D. Casas Grandes prehistoric Indian pottery, stone tools, ancient jewelry, southwestern historical photos and oral history recordings, and military and mining artifacts are on display. Reverse your course (you may wish to do a loop tour around the campus: West Street, College Street, to “E” Street, to 12th Street.). Go 5 blocks east on 12th Street to Pope Street stop light. Turn left and go to the fourth stop light. At this point you turn left to go to Piños Altos (Sites 22-30). By continuing to the next light you can reach Site 21.
OPTIONAL TOUR SITES 19-20: 19. Western New Mexico University. In 1893 the New Mexico State Normal School was established in town. The new institution soon became a state college and university. Two important southwestern architects, Henry Trost and John Gaw Meem, designed buildings for the campus. It now offers computer and police science, business management, voc-ed, and other degrees. 20. St. Mary’s Academy. (1800 Alabama Street) The academy opened in 1918 as a “select boarding school for girls.” 21. Billy the Kid’s Mother’s Grave. (M115.7, US180, Memory Lane Cemetery) Catherine McCarty Antrim, Billy’s mother, died of tuberculosis on Sept. 16, 1874. She was buried in town but later was moved to Memory Lane Cemetery (left to Cypress Lane, right to 9th tree). Four graves to the north lies John Bullard (see Site 14). (Turn west to Rose Lane and go north to first intersection to left.) Ben Lilly, mountain man and lion hunter, is buried 50' to the southwest. From Memory Lane, continue north across US180. At next stop sign turn right onto Piños Altos Road, NM 15.
22. Hearst Mine. (M5.1, NM15) The Phoebe Hearst (mother of newspaperman William Randolph Hearst) Mine was near the saddle of the two peaks to the west from this historic marker. The Hearsts had interests in ranches, headquartering west of Deming, briefly owned the Santa Rita copper mine and company store, as well as a company store in Piños Altos, and a mill, probably south of the Gila Regional Hospital. A winding narrow-gauge railroad transported ore from Piños Altos mines to mills in Silver City. SCENIC TOURS – 7
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8 – SCENIC TOURS
“
The strong visual and performing arts
activities, museums and the renovated historic
district have created an end-destination worthy
”
of America’s culture-hungry travelers.
boat Cente r Seed
for the Arts Seedboat Gallery & Mountain Air Productions Fine Art & Craft Gallery • Live performance Space • Recording Studio • Catering Located in Historic Downtown Silver City
214 W. Yankie Street • Silver City, NM 88061 • 575.534.1136 www.SeedboatGallery.com
BROWSE THE
GALLERIES Siiver City rivals major markets.
Recognized as one of the nation’s culturally progressive small communities, Silver City broke into the top three slots of Modern Maturity’s Best Small Towns in America, was listed by John Villani as one of The Hundred Best Small Art Towns in America and chosen by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in its Dozen Distinctive Destinations - 2002. The strong visual and performing arts activities, museums and the renovated historic district have created an end-destination worthy of America’s culture-hungry travelers. A wide range of galleries and creative specialty shops are located throughout the university and historic districts and in the mountain village of Piños Altos. Art walks and fairs, artist openings, gallery weekends and cultural exchanges on an international level have created a niche for Silver City in the world of art. A performing arts season that includes international talent is sponsored by the Mimbres Region Arts Council and the Grant County Community Concerts Association. Special events with nationally acclaimed artists include the Silver City Blues Festival, symphony and opera presentations. On the local level, community and university drama presentations and a melodrama series keep performers active. The Silver City Museum, housed in the 1881 Victorian home of H.B. Ailman, and the Western New Mexico University Museum, with the world’s largest permanent display of artifacts from the intriguing thousand-year-old Mimbres Culture, are the pride of the community. Walking tours of the historic district provide insight into the spirited early days of mining and a commitment to enduring architecture.
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Continental Divide
Piños Altos
In 1859, a group of Forty-Niners drifting home from California discovered gold in the Piños Altos (“Tall Pines”) area. Once a booming county seat, Piños Altos was a rough and tumble town of gold bonanzas and Apache raids.
DAY TRIP 1-B
˜ OS ALTOS PIN DAY TRIP 1-B continues to the old mining town of Piños Altos. (M6, NM15). Where the road divides, keep to the left. At the first intersection over the bridge, turn left onto the dirt road, which loops back to the right.
Numbers continue from Silver City Day Trip. 23. Hearst Church. The adobe MethodistEpiscopal church was built with Hearst money in 1898 and now houses the Grant County Art Guild. A funeral hearse, used for Pat Garrett, and other horse-drawn vehicles are displayed here. Garrett killed Billy the Kid in Lincoln, NM. Continue back to paved road, turn left.
24. Fort Cobre. This 3⁄4-scale reconstruction, completed in 1980, was of a fort built at Santa Rita copper mine in 1804 to protect the area. It was renamed Ft. Webster in 1851 (Day Trip 2-16). The Hearst company store was east across the street. 25. Opera House. The opera house, built in 1969, captures the flavor of an old west opera house with elements from area historic buildings, including the late red-light district of Silver City (Sites 1-2). There are excellent artifacts and photos in the Buckhorn Saloon (circa 1865). 26. McDonald Cabin. On dirt road directly behind Opera House. John McDonald, an old Indian fighter, was reportedly in this area in 1851. Probably the oldest house in the county. 27. Judge Roy Bean Store Site. SE corner south of Site 25. Probable site of the store operated by (Judge) Roy Bean and his brother Samuel in the 1860s. 28. Piños Altos Museum. The museum is housed in a log cabin, Grant County’s first private school house, probably built around 1866. Go north to first arroyo.
29. First Courthouse. (past arroyo on R) Building housed the only court session in Piños Altos (1871). Continue to stop sign, and turn left. Trail of the Mountain Spirits Byway continues north to Gila Cliff Dwellings.
30. Cemetery.
(Second gate from N, proceed 50' to east at base of 2 large tree stumps.)
Early miners in Piños Altos, Capt. Thomas Mastin (Marston on grave) and his brother Virgil were killed by Apaches. Return on NM15. Viewpoint at Milepost 2.1.
10 – SCENIC TOURS
MINERS. Some of the first to use “arrastras” (burro operated mills to grind the gold ore) were Norero and Ancheta . . . family names still seen in Silver City. In May 1860, Snively, Hicks, and Birch camped on Bear Creek, and Birch found gold. While in Santa Rita for supplies, the men met the Mastin brothers and a man named Langston to whom they confided the news. By September, 700 men were placering nearby, calling their camp “Birchville.” An earlier Mexican settlement called Piños Altos, is said to have sent gold to Chihuahua in 1837, but that camp disappeared. APACHE INDIANS. Cochise joined the Hot Spring Apaches under Mangas Coloradas to drive out “Los Godammies,” or white men. On September 22, 1861, 400 Apaches attacked the camp. Capt. Thomas Mastin, nine other Arizona Scouts, and the miners stood in defense. The Indians withdrew after fatally wounding Captain Mastin (Site 30). In time, Mangas Coloradas urged peace and failed, was taken prisoner on January 17, 1863, and killed the following day at Fort McLane (Site 2-23). Raids and the Civil War caused Americans to leave, but the Mexicans remained to wash gold and build arrastras. In July 1866, Virgil Mastin brought in a 15-stamp mill and a saw mill hauled from St. Louis by oxen. The California Column was disbanded in New Mexico and many stayed. Placering resumed and lode mining started. The camp was again known as Piños Altos. MINING & COMMERCE. In 1868, Ancheta had both trading post and arrastra; Samuel G. and (Judge) Roy Bean were dealers in merchandise and liquors; the Piños Altos Co. was incorporated and had 600–700 inhabitants, 2 stamp mills, many arrastras, three furnaces for smelting, —From The Piños 2 hotels, several stores, and Altos Story by 7 saloons (which later Dorothy Watson. increased).
Rock Hounding WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KEVIN COOK
Nestled on a tree-shaded mountain hillside at 7,000 feet near Pinos Altos within minutes of
Geode
Photo: Barry Nielsen
Grant County is well-known for its mineral deposits. Three open pit copper mines, numerous other diggings and the very name of the county seat, Silver City, conjure up images of good mineral collecting sites. Visitors from all over the world stop here to do a little collecting as they travel around the Southwest. Some of the many items that can be collected in Grant County include Native Copper, Chrysocolla, Azurite, Turquoise, Gold, Silver, Obsidian, Fluorite, Amethyst, Chalcedony, Calcite, Ricolite, Moon Stone, Fossils, Petrified Wood, Geodes and Agates. Much of Grant County is rugged high desert and mountain country. Access to collecting sites may require high clearance or four-wheel drive vehicles. Before venturing into remote areas, discuss conditions you might find there with persons familiar with the area. Make sure a responsible someone knows your plan. The US Forest Service is a good source for back road conditions and camping sites. The Forest Service office is located off the 32nd Street bypass (US Hwy. 180 East) (388-8201). Always obtain permission before collecting on private property. Also, look for claim markers and indications of recent activity. A note about safety. The area is strewn with abandoned mine workings, which provide the rock hound with opportunities for finding many minerals. NEVER ENTER A MINE! Be aware that there are many dangerous hidden vertical shafts and openings that can potentially kill or maim. You can often find some spectacular minerals on or near the stockpiles around these mines. The Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society (538-9001) is Grant County’s local rock club. If you are new to rock hounding, the Rolling Stones is a great way to learn about rock hounding in the area. They have access to the University Lapidary lab and sponsor the Gem and Mineral Show Labor Day weekend. The Royal Scepter Gems and Minerals (538-9001) has a free mining and mineral museum at 1805 Little Walnut Rd., off US Hwy. 180 West. Minerals and fossils from Grant County, New Mexico, and around the world are on display, including a very impressive fluorescent mineral display. The museum is open from 10:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. Also, check out their display map of mineral collecting sites in Grant County.
Petroglyph
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SCENIC TOURS – 11
12 – SCENIC TOURS
Photo by Jackie Blurton
rail T of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway (Gila Cliff Dwellings)
The sounds of their voices and laughter echoed in the canyons from the 1280s to 1300. And then there were only the sounds of the streams and birds. Why they abandoned their homes and fields and where they went are not known .
y
ou travel in the footsteps of the pre-historic Mimbres Indians as they fish the streams, cultivate primitive corn and are surrounded by the laughter of children playing in the canyons. You hear the quiet voice of the trapper traveling in territory into which white settlers have never ventured. You sense the quietness of the peaceful headwaters of the Gila into which the famous Apache leader Geronimo was born. Sense some of their pride in this region. Hear the voices of the Buffalo Soldiers as their patrols venture deeper into the wilderness trying to maintain peace. Walk the paths of the early miner trying to find the mother lode up the next canyon. These are the many sensations you experience when you venture along the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway. It’s what one video called “The Last Solitude.” As a motorist you’ll drive along a narrow corridor through the first wilderness set aside by Congress. As you step out of your vehicle at one of the many mountain vistas, you’ll sense the feelings of Aldo Leopold and of Teddy Roosevelt as they trekked the area... and then fought hard to set the area aside for future generations to enjoy. TRAIL OF THE MOUNTAIN SPIRITS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY This Scenic Byway follows the footsteps of those who preceded: Mimbreño, Apache, Spaniard, Mexican, miner, rancher, outdoorsman. See the full variety of Grant County, from the high Chihuahuan desert to the snow-touched wilderness. This tour starts at Silver City and goes through Piños Altos on NM 15, 1.5 to 2 hours to the highlight of the tour: the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. You then backtrack to NM35 and turn left to Lake Roberts. Follow NM35 along the Mimbres River to NM152. Turn west to the Chino Mine overlook at Santa Rita. Here also is an opportunity to tour some of the old mines in this area. Return to Silver City via US 180 and historic Ft. Bayard. The Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway tour, known for years as the "Inner Loop", began as primitive forest roads and jeep trails. In 1994 it was recognized both as a National Forest Scenic Byway and as a New Mexico Scenic Byway. In February 2000, the name was changed to reflect the unanimous name selection "Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway". The name reflects those who have walked this way through the ages and a sense of the flora and fauna that capture you … making this a mecca for all ages.
Backpacking
DAY TRIP 2
TRAIL OF THE MOUNTAIN SPIRITS SCENIC BYWAY Map page 17 Inner Loop Tour: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Gila National Forest, Piños Altos Historic District, City of Rocks, Mimbres Indian Archaeology, Lake Roberts, Kneeling Nun, Chino Open Pit Mine . TRAVEL NOTE: This brochure uses highway milepost markers for locating many sites. (e.g., M127.4 US180 means 0.4 miles past marker 127 on US Highway 180.) Food and fuel are available at or near Sites 10, 13, 14, 16, 24 and 25.
1. Visitors Center. Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Hudson, (NM 90). 2. Piños Altos. (M6, NM15.) Piños Altos (“Tall Pines”) was founded about 1859 when a group of forty-niners drifting home from California discovered gold in the area. See the PA Tour, page 10. From Piños Altos, continue on NM15. Note excellent viewpoints.
3. Bear Creek. (M7.4-M10, NM15) Site of gold mining in the early days. Here are the first evidences of mining by Ancheta and Norero. 4. Burro-Drawn Arrastra. (M8.1, NM15) A burro-drawn arrastra (mill) was reconstructed here. 5. Gila National Forest. (M8.3, NM15) You are entering ponderosa pine country of the Gila (pronounced ‘HEE-la’) Forest. Almost one-fourth of the 3.3 million acre forest is in wilderness, promoted by conservationist Aldo Leopold; set aside by Congress in 1924 as the first such wilderness area in the USA. Some 400 miles of fishing streams lace the entire forest. Wildlife in the Gila includes Rocky Mountain mule deer, Sonoran white-tail deer, beaver, elk, bobcat, mountain lion, black bear. 6. Ben Lilly Park. (M10.1, NM15). This forest overlook honors the mountain man and lion-hunter Ben Lilly. A plaque 150 feet west details Lilly’s life and philosophy. Continuing on NM15, you will pass the entrance to Cherry Creek campground (M12.2) and McMillan Campground (M13.2).
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Lake Roberts
7.
Signal Peak. (M14.4, NM15) A winding 7 mile, high clearance dirt road takes you past ponderosa pine, spruce, fir and oak to the top of the peak. From here you can see into Mexico. Signal Peak served as a heliograph point during the Apache wars, signaling with a mirror and the sun’s rays to distant peaks. Viewpoint (M18, NM15) 8. Anderson (Copperas) Vista. (M32, NM15) This outstanding viewpoint shows the headwaters of the Gila River rimmed on the west by the Mogollon Mountains, on the north by isolated peaks and divides, on the east by the Black Range, and on the south by the Piños Altos Range. There are many other excellent viewpoints on NM15. 9. Gila River. (M37.8, NM15). Gila River flows west to Yuma, AZ. 10. Gila Hot Springs. (M39.2, NM15) Numerous hot springs in this area heat the homes and greenhouses of residents. Just before Gila Hot Springs is the Grapevine Campground, boasting the world’s largest grapevine. At M43.7 the Heart Bar Wildlife Area was once a ranch’s training ground for polo ponies; the ranch is now operated by Game and Fish for elk and mountain lion studies. (M41.8) 11. Visitors Center for Gila Cliff Dwellings. (M42.4, NM15) Pass the road to the National Monument, continue to the Visitors Center. With displays and artifacts, the Center introduces you to the culture of the Mogollón Indians, who built homes in the cliffs of this area. Near the Center are the remains of a 2.5-acre pueblo, with a pithouse dated at 600 A.D. Get info on hiking and horseback riding. View plaque honoring birthplace of Geronimo. From the Visitors Center, return to the paved National Monument road.
12. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. (M43.7, NM15) Built late in the 13th century, there are 42 well-preserved rooms within 5 natural caves. See text on this page. Return on NM15, turn left (east) on NM35. 13. Vista Ruin. (M24, NM 35) This small Mimbres Indian site overlooks Lake Roberts and has a self-guided interpretive trail, covered picnic tables, toilet facilities and a beautiful view of Lake Roberts. 14. Lake Roberts. (M22-24, NM35) This man-made 72-acre lake offers fine fishing, boating, and camping. This is a fee use area. A fishing license or New Mexico Game and Fish GAIN permit is required. There are two campgrounds and numerous trails leading into the forest. Special nature trail and self-interpretive Mimbres Indian site are there. 15. Coninental Divide. Travel south to M15.1. At this marker you are crossing the Continental Divide. Ahead the Mimbres River flows east to the Atlantic; behind you Sapillo Creek flows west to the Gila River and the Pacific.
16. Mimbres Valley. (M1-15, NM35) Scenic route follows the course of the Mimbres River through green orchards and small farms. 17. Fort Webster #2 Site. (NE at intersection of NM61/152) Second location for fort established at Santa Rita to protect the miners from Apache attack (Site 18 & Day Trip 1-24). Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway turns west on NM152, an extension loop continues south (See Site 20). Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway continues to the east.
ALTERNATE ROUTE: SEE #21 18. Kneeling Nun. (M12 & M2.4, NM152). Note the distinct rock outcropping to the west on the north end of the mountain (Santa Rita open pit at its base). Legend says this spire was once a nun in love with a Spanish soldier and turned to stone as she knelt to pray. Also view at M2.3, NM152. 19. Santa Rita/Chino Mines Open Pit Copper Mine. (M5.8, NM152). The oldest active mine in the southwest, the “Santa Rita del Cobre”, was worked as early as 1800 by Col. José Manuel Carrasco. 14 – SCENIC TOURS
Mimbres River
From the ancient exquisitely-painted Mimbres pottery to Chino's huge open-pit copper mine, man's presence in Grant County has been long and fruitful. By 400 A.D., the gentle Mogollón culture inhabited these vast pine forests. Later came the more warlike Apaches; in their turn, they saw the march of Spanish soldiers and Mexican settlements; and finally came the fur-trappers, miners and ranchers. This makes up a heritage of which we're very proud, hence the name Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway. GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT The Monument is in the Gila National Forest and lies at the edge of the Gila Wilderness, the nation's first designated wilderness area. Almost one fourth of the 3.3 million- acre forest is a wilderness. Wilderness means the character of the area will not be altered by the intrusion of roads or other evidence of human presence. This unique area reveals the homes of prehistoric Indians in southwestern New Mexico and offers a glimpse into the lives of the Indians that inhabited them from the 100s to the early 1300s A.D. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of the Mogollón culture who lived there from the 1280s through the early 1300s. Settlers in the early 1870s penetrated the mountain wilderness, where rise the three forks of the Gila River. They were surprised to find traces of an earlier race of men. Fallen walls of stone, strewn with pottery fragments, clearly indicated a people of high culture who made their homes there. The Gila Cliff Dwellings were built in the 1280s. These Pueblo people built their homes in natural caves and in the open, and examples
Gila National Forest
Gila Cliff Dwellings Interior
of both are here. Probably not more than 8-10 families lived in the caves at any one time. The rooms were used for a genTwo Quail and Quail Man eration. These small, diligent, artistic people lived in cliff houses and riverside villages. They tilled mesa top and riverside fields with digging sticks, and ground cornmeal with metate and mano. They fashioned pottery and cloth, carrying on trade with other Mimbreno communities. They hunted and gathered wild plants and fruit to supplement their crops of squash, corn and beans. They were skilled potters, producing handsome brown bowls with black interiors and black-on-white vessels. The women averaged 5'1" and the men about 5'5" in height. They were slight of build, yet muscular, with dark hair and eyes and brown skin. Seven natural caves occur high in the southeast-facing cliff, and five of the caves contain the ruins of cliff dwellings, about 42 rooms. All the timbers seen in the dwellings are the originals; their tree-ring dates range through the 1280s. The cliff dwellers had abandoned their homes and fields by the early 1300s. Perhaps they joined other Mimbreno cultures to the north or south. The sounds of their voices and laughter echoed int he canyon. And then – only the sounds of the streams and birds. The earliest ruin found within the monument area is a pithouse of a type that was made from about 100 to 400 A.D. This dwelling was in the open, was circular, and had a narrow 2' x 10' entrance on the east side; the floor was below ground level. Later pithouses of the Mogollón, prevalent until about 1000 A.D., were usually constructed of masonry or adobe (sun-dried bricks of mud and straw), rectangular, and built entirely above the ground. – National Park Service
Convict labor from New Spain mined the shafts, with mule trains of ore sent down the Janos Trail to Chihuahua, Mexico. Under the ownership of Don Francisco de Elguea, an impressive adobe fort (see replica at Day Trip 1-24) was built near the mine, along with smelters and numerous buildings. Though profitable, the mine eventually had to be abandoned to the Apaches. In 1851, the old fort served as a ready-made base for the U.S.-Mexican Boundary Survey; a year later it became the site of Ft. Webster, the area’s first U.S. military establishment. In the late 19th century, the mine was reopened and the town of Santa Rita was reborn. The huge open pit, started about 1910, soon consumed Santa Rita. The mine itself is now operated by Freeport-McMoRan. Giantsized machines scoop the ore from the earth and huge 200-ton ore trucks transport it to the reduction mill to the southwest of the pit. The Chino Overlook provides an excellent viewpoint.
For more information contact the Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitors Center at 575-536-9344.
Return west on NM 152. At the railroad crossing you might wish to tour some of the old mines to the north and south, primarily lead, zinc, and copper. (Mining Trip p.24). Continue west to the junction with US180, Site 19, Ft. Bayard, entrance is 1⁄4 mile further west.
20. Fort Bayard. (M120.5, US180) Fort Bayard was built in 1866 by the “Buffalo Soldiers” of the Ninth Calvary, an all-black regiment. Statue of Cpl. Greaves, Medal of Honoree, who single-handedly saved his troopers. 2nd Lt. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing served here in 1886-87. From 1899 to 1920, the fort served as an Army tuberculosis sanitarium and later as a veteran’s hospital. Today it is run by the state for the care of elderly and handicapped patients. The Fort borders a state elk refuge and these majestic animals can occasionally be seen nibbling on tender shoots of yucca. A nature trail is available for the handicapped. Ft. Bayard has one of two national cemeteries in New Mexico. To return to Silver City go west on US180.
ALTERNATE ROUTE FROM #17. Lower Mimbres River via NM61. M61) 21. City of Rocks State Park. Thrown up by an ancient volcano and eroded by the wind, these rock formations create an eerie and fantastical world. Complete with a desert garden, the park offers excellent camping and picnic sites. See separate story (p.16). 22. Viewpoint. (M139, US180, junction NM61) Directly east is the jagged fang of Cooke’s Peak. Almost due south are the Florida Mountains, with the Tres Hermanas (Three Sisters) to their right. West, one can see the Burro Mountains and Jack’s Peak, site of a Smithsonian solar radiation observatory in the 1930s, with the Freeport-McMoRan mine at the base. The Butterfield Trail, Pony Express Route, and Mormon Battalion Trail all passed just to the south. The Janos Trail carried copper ore south to Chihuahua City, Mex. Turn north (right) onto US180.
23. Fort McLane. (M131.5, US180). To the east is the site of Fort McLane, established in 1861 to protect Piños Altos, Santa Rita, and the Butterfield trail. Here the over 70-year-old Apache chief Mangas Coloradas (Red Sleeves), after surrendering near Piños Altos, was killed while allegedly attempting to escape. 24. Hurley. (M127, US180) The location of the former Chino Mine Smelter. 25. Bayard. (M124, US180). Now center of the mining district, the town originally was a railroad supply point for Fort Bayard. Regularly scheduled mining tours, call 537-3327 or Chamber 538-3785. 26. Santa Clara. (US180). First county seat. Once named “Central.” Return to Silver City on US180.
SCENIC TOURS – 15
Mimbres Valley Mimbres pottery is the Wedgewood of Southwest ware, for its remarkable geometric and life form designs make it distinctive above all prehistoric ceramics. Bear Canyon Lake
One branch of the Mogollón culture lived in this valley as early as 750 A.D. The Mimbreño Indians were small, brownskinned people who farmed, made exquisite pottery and kept diaries on convenient cliff walls. The pottery they produced, with its finely-painted geometric and naturalistic designs, is world-famous today. (Examples at Sites 1-12 & 1-18.) The artistic and peaceful Mimbres Indians left the valley suddenly and mysteriously around 1300 A.D. Now, hints of intimate little pueblos lie buried, and one wonders about the figures on the overhanging cliff walls and tries to understand their meaning. The legacy of their abandoned villages and artwork can be found throughout the area, mixed with relics of Spanish explorers in the late 1700s and Apache camps.
THE APACHES, called the Tchi-he-nde or Red Paint people, moved south to camp and continued the tradition of farming. Spaniards from Mexico and Spain came to work the mines and made slaves of the Apaches who rebelled. For 80 years, Apache raids, peace treaties, and broken promises made the Mimbres country a place of massacres, expansion, and abandonment; the Mexican War, the Gadsden Purchase, Overland Mail, tiny forts, stage stations, and the stage crossing of the Mimbres at Mowry City. By the 1860s and 70s, Anglo and Hispanic settlers were also drawn to the fertile soil. Small-scale mining and sawmilling continues in the upper Mimbres. Local farm produce is also marketed.
Mimbres Pottery WNMU Collection
THE MIMBRES TODAY is one of sun and tranquility. Along the cottonwoodlined banks of the Mimbres, farms and orchards hug together to drink the cold, clear water in abundance. High above, the Mimbres gets its start from snow-fed streams of the Black Range. Up in the pines and piñon, deer, bear and elk still run nearly as unmolested as they did in Mowry days. — by Betty Woods
City of Rocks The City of Rocks, in the extreme southeastern corner of Grant County, 32 miles south on US180, and 4 miles east on NM61, is a striking result of the geologic process of erosion, a quiet retreat, and a source of unending interest to both adults and children. City of Rocks
Theory is that these formations were thrown 180 miles from a volcano near Albuquerque. For some, the park resembles a medieval village; for others it is a collection of misshapen, albeit benign, giants. Essentially, it is a flat-lying sheet of reddish lava which has been chiseled by action of water-borne abrasives into the likeness of a city with streets and buildings. The jointing of the rocks has taken place along vertical rather than horizontal
16 – SCENIC TOURS
planes, with the consequence that the “streets” are more or less the same height. There are formations which readily suggest giants’ chairs, prehistoric monsters, or creatures of imaginative myth. Adjacent to the formations rises Table Mountain, a perfect example of a mesa. The appearance suggests a cone accurately cut off somewhat below the middle, and the table top,
from a distance of a few miles, looks as level as though it had been laid off with surveyor’s instruments. Plant life of the “City” includes shade-providing evergreen oaks. Dominant plants on the surrounding plain are tree yucca, broomweed, and black grama grass. — by Ross Calvin
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SCENIC TOURS – 17
Gila High
Country Cliff/Gila, Glenwood,
Mogollon
You will go into the very heart of the 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest, past high meadows, running streams, and sudden vistas.
DAY TRIP 3 Fish Hatchery Catwalk Mogollon Snow Lake 18 – SCENIC TOURS
15 16 20 22
Photo: Bill Allen
GILA HIGH COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS
i
n 1899 a large section of rugged forested mountains and rolling woodlands was set aside as a new public domain; eventually this would form the base of the almost 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest (pronounced Hee-la). Today, these mountains and canyons, ranging in elevation from 4,200 to 11,000 feet, comprise one of the nation’s largest undisturbed natural areas. In the 1880s Mogollón (“Mug-eYone”) roared into existence with a production of gold that might have satisfied Coronado. Sgt. Cooney’s discovery (Site 18), despite Apache attacks, produced millions of dollars in gold and silver ore. The ore went down the long trail to Silver City in clanking 18-mule team ore wagons. In the summer, Mogollón offers shops and sights that tease your imagination. Many old buildings still stand, and the museum and gallery here preserve interesting artifacts of area history. The movie “My Name Is Nobody” with Henry Fonda and Terence Hill was filmed here. If you are continuing east on NM159, have adequate gas and supplies. The next services will be along the Mimbres River, 120-170 miles away. Sections of the road to Snow Lake climb above 9,000 feet. This stretch, from Mogollón through the Willow Creek area, is difficult and a better route is through Reserve, NM, on FS141. WHITEWATER CANYON This is the site of the famous Catwalk, a central point in the mining saga. A town grew up around a mill built by John T. Graham in 1893 and lasted less than 10 years. The mill walls still cling to the west side of the canyon near the Catwalk. The mines above the canyon were worked from their discovery in 1889 until 1942 (Billy the Kid’s stepfather, William Antrim, was a blacksmith at Graham). THE CATWALK Mining claims were about 4 miles upstream from the mill. It could not be built closer because of the rough, narrow canyon. A 3 mi. long, 4'' metal pipe line provided a continuous water supply. An
Mogollon Movie Set
DAY TRIP 3
GILA HIGH COUNTRY Map page 17 1. Visitors Center. Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Hudson. 2. Chloride Flat. (M112, US 180) Soon after the initial silver strike in 1870, Lorenzo Carrasco and others made new discoveries at Chloride Flat, west of town . . . the first major silver district in New Mexico, producing over 2 million ounces in its 20 years. The Carrascos had experience in Mexico. By producing the first marketable silver bullion, Carrasco brought in prospective miners and was largely responsible for the town’s favorable reputation as a mining district. 3. Continental Divide (M109.5, US180) 6,230 ft. You cross the Continental Divide four times. 4. Mangas Springs (M94, US180) In the late 1700s the Spanish knew this as Santa Lucía, a meeting place and bivouac for their expeditions. In 1846 Gen. Kearney, guided by Kit Carson, met with the Apache chief Mangas Coloradas. Briefly it was an unofficial reservation for the Mimbres Apaches. 5. Gila/LC Ranch Headquarters (M89, US180) To the north lies the town of Gila, former headquarters of the once-famous Lyons-Campbell Ranch (private property). In 1884 the ranch was described as the “largest in the world,” 60 miles from north to south and 40 miles from east to west. A bona fide “cattle baron,” Thomas Lyons dreamed of an operation that would make this the biggest cattle market west of Kansas City. The dream failed, and in 1917 he was mysteriously murdered in El Paso. Once part of the LC’s self-sufficient empire, many buildings in Gila remain a testament to the “Lion’s” energy. 6. Bill Evans Lake (M87, US180, W on FR809) This 65-acre lake was created by the Phelps-Dodge Corp. and stocked by the NM Dept. of Game and Fish. This is a fee use area. A fishing license or New Mexico State Game and Fish GAIN permit is required. 7. Gila River Bird Habitat Management Unit (M87, US180) This special section of the Gila River in the Gila National Forest is specifically managed as a bird habitat. It is a major migration route and a great variety of riparian, water fowl, and desert scrub species can be seen here. Migrations begin in April. See direction to this site in Birding Destinations on page 27, site 89. 8. Fort West Site (M85.5, US180, E on bluff) The first American settlement on the Gila, this fort was established in 1863 as part of a campaign against the Apaches. Abandoned a year after construction, the fort was later dismantled. (Now on private property.) 9. Gila River (M85, US180).The Gila River starts in the Gila National Forest and flows west to Yuma, AZ, and the Colorado River. It nurtures some of the best remaining SW riparian habitats. Watch for heron and other birds. 10. Cliff (M84, US180) Cliff was settled about 1884 as a farming and ranching community. To the east are the remains of a four-story, 300-room Salados Indian pueblo, 1425–1575 AD. (private property). The Salado culture was a sub-group of the Anasazi, normally found in Arizona. Sacaton Road is a graveled, scenic alternate loop tour to Site 11. It follows the base of the Mogollon Range with 26 miles of breathtaking vistas and access to trailheads into the wilderness. Take NM293 north 2.2 miles. Turn left on Sacaton Road, follow it until Forest Road 147, which exits 1⁄2 mile north of Aldo Leopold Vista (Site 11). SCENIC TOURS – 19
Snow Lake
Visit the 7,300-acre Gila River Riparian Preserve, north on NM293, owned by the Nature Conservancy. Over 1⁄3 of the North American bird species have been sighted there. 11. Leopold Vista (M63.6, US180) This stop offers a superb view of the Gila Wilderness. It honors conservationist Aldo Leopold who, influenced by his experiences in the Gila National Forest, boldly advanced the field of game management. Leopold was instrumental in the designation of the Gila Wilderness as the country’s first wilderness area. 12. Soldiers Hill (M61.6, US180) To the west, in 1885, U.S. troops pursued Apache Indians who divided into three groups and caught the soldiers in a deadly triple crossfire. The soldiers were buried in the WS cemetery (Site19). 13. Glenwood (M50, US180) This pleasant community, at the junction of Whitewater Creek and the San Francisco River, attracts numerous hunters and fishermen. Lodging is available. Western artist Olaf Wieghorst has ties to Glenwood; he served with the Cavalry after Pancho Villa’s raid and later worked on area ranches. For those taking the full loop drive, Glenwood is your last chance until the Mimbres Valley to stock up on supplies and gas! It’s approximately 120-170 miles (depending on route) or 5-7 hours driving time.
14. Alma Jail House and Antrim Cabin (M50.5, US180) The Los Olmos Guest Ranch includes two historic buildings. The Alma jail will give any visitor a claustrophobic sense of prison conditions. The Antrim cabin was built and occupied by William Antrim, stepfather of Billy the Kid. See “Billy the Kid” story page 22. 15. Glenwood Hatchery (M50.5, US180) A half mile east toward the Catwalk is the Glenwood Hatchery operated by the State Dept. of Game and Fish. Visitors are welcome to observe the schools of trout swimming up and down the raceways. Ask about fishing in the pond. 16. The Catwalk. Another five miles up the Whitewater Canyon road will bring you to the unusual Catwalk. This 250-foot metal causeway clings to the sides of the boulder-choked canyon, in some places only 20 feet wide and 250 feet deep. There are many spots where a hiker can leave the trail and relax on the grassy banks of the sycamore-shaded stream. The trail continues into the Wilderness. From the Catwalk, return to US180. Three miles up US180 is the turnoff to the Mogollón ghost town and Snow Lake.
OPTIONAL SIDE TRIP. Stay on US180 in order to see Alma, Cooney’s Tomb and the WS Ranch. Those not continuing on the loop to Mogollón might wish to travel further on scenic US180 and NM12 to the old ranching community of Reserve, New Mexico.
17. Alma (M46, US180) This small community, once a stop on the “outlaw trail” from Mexico, was used as a refuge by such men as Butch Cassidy and his gang. 18. Cooney’s Tomb (M46.1, US180, 5 mi. on FR701) Sgt. James Cooney discovered riches and began to develop his gold and silver deposits after being discharged in 1875. He was killed April 30, 1880, by Victorio and his Apaches. Cooney’s mutilated body was found by friends who carved a tomb out of a huge boulder here on Mineral Creek. His brother, Capt. M. Cooney, later came from Chicago to develop the Mogollón mines. 19. WS Ranch and Cemetery. (M44.3, US180) Still in operation, this sprawling ranch was run in the 1890s by the entertaining author, Captain William French. Using aliases, Butch Cassidy and his men once worked as hands at the WS (private land). In 1885, troops were massacred at Soldiers Hill (#12) and were buried in a hillside cemetery here, still visible. At this point, turn and backtrack to M47.4 and the road to Mogollón. The steep, narrow paved road to Mogollón is not recommended for large trailers; often closed in winter.
20 – SCENIC TOURS
18'' pipe line was built in 1897 to run a big, new electric generator. The present day Catwalk follows the route of the original 4'' pipe line. Pipe used in the water line was hauled by up to 40 horses. Ore was pulled down the mountain to an ore chute just above the mill by smaller teams. Brace holes were drilled into the solid rock walls, sometimes 20 feet above the canyon floor, to support the smaller water line. Some of the original 18'' pipes support sections of the present Catwalk trail. The massive rock walls of Whitewater Canyon saw few visitors until the CCC was assigned the task of rebuilding the Catwalk. The present metal catwalk was built by the Forest Service in 1961, and upgraded in 2004. – Eve Simmons MOGOLLÓN Mogollón has fewer than a dozen yearround residents and is the subject of many legends. In the 1880s miners in the rip-roaring mining camp “dropped over the hill” to then work a ten-hour day at Cooney, the site of the Cooney Tomb (Site 18.)
Neighbors to the SOUTH DAY TRIP 4, Map Page 17 Visit Deming & the Columbus Area This Day Trip takes you to Deming and Columbus. Take US180/ NM152 east to NM61. Right to Lower Mimbres Valley, City of Rocks State Park (Site 2-20); Viewpoint (2-21); south to Deming Museum; NM11 to Columbus and Pancho Villa State Park. If you decide to go into Mexico check New Identification Requirements.
Return via US180 and visit Ft. McLane (2-22); Hurley (2-23), Bayard and Santa Clara (2-24). Continue on US180 to Silver City. DAY TRIP 5, Page 8 Ghost Towns & Birding Explore ghost town and great birding sites on this Day Trip.
South on NM90 see Harrison Schmitt School (Site 1-7), FreeportMcMoRan mine (1-8), McComas Massacre (1-9), Lordsburg Museum, Shakespeare Ghost Town, Portal (birding in Chiricahua Mtns). Return on NM90.
Photo by Jackie Blurton
Mineral Creek near Glenwood
20. Mogollón. (M47.4, US180, 9 mi. on NM159) The narrow road to Mogollón first winds to Whitewater Mesa with its high meadow against mountainous backdrop. Almost at the top, you will see across the canyon the tailings of the old Little Fanney Mine (reclaimed in early 1990s), among the richest in the region. Mogollón lies tucked in the narrow valley below. East of Mogollon NM159 to Willow Creek becomes a gravel road. High clearance vehicles are recommended. Low clearance vehicles and long trailers are not advised. It's closed in winter and opens in May. Call the Gila National Forest at 575-388-8201 or Glenwood Ranger District, 575-539-2481 for road conditions.
21. Willow Creek Area (30 miles on NM159) This gravel road to Willow Creek is among the most beautiful in southwest NM. 22. Snow Lake (39 miles east of Glenwood, FR142) At an altitude of 7,400 feet, the lake is cool and pleasant in the summer. This 100acre lake offers fishing, camping, hiking, and picnicking. Return to US180. From Beaverhead east you are on the Gerónimo Trail Scenic Byway. Or continue via FR28, FR141, and FR150, to NM35. FR150 is 40 miles of dirt/gravel, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended. At NM35 it joins the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway. Return to Silver City via NM35/152 or NM35/15.
23. The Outer Loop. Gila High Country. (FS150). The roads that circumvent the Gila Wilderness are called the Outer Loop. See map on page 17. The drive is an adventure, the scenery is outstanding, but be prepared for a long day. From Silver City it's about 11 hours to complete the loop. 7 hours are spent driving from Mogollon to NM35 in the Mimbres River Valley on dirt or gravel roads. High-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicles are advised. RV's and trailers are not recommended. Traffic is light so take an emergency road kit, food, water, warm clothing and full tank of gas. Take a Gila National Forest Map available at the Gila National Forest Office in Silver City or the Glenwood Ranger Station in Glenwood. From Silver City to Mogollon follow US180 then turn right onto NM159; from Mogollon to Willow Creek follow NM 159 (dirt road); from Willow Creek follow FR28 to FR142 then turn right to Snow Lake; from Snow Lake to Beaver Head Work Center follow FR142 then turn right on NM59; from Beaverhead Work Center to NM 35 follow FR 150. Return to Silver City via NM 35 and NM 152.
Whitewater Creek at the Catwalk
The Catwalk
The mines above the canyon were worked from their discovery in 1889 until 1942 (Billy the Kid's stepfather, William Antrim, was a blacksmith at Graham).
Five miles up Whitewater Canyon road from Glenwood will bring you to the west end of the unusual Catwalk. This 250-foot metal causeway clings to the sides of boulder-choked Whitewater Canyon, which in some places is only 20 feet wide and 250 feet deep. There are many spots where a hiker can leave the steel causeway and relax on the grassy banks of the sycamore- shaded stream. Whitewater Canyon, site of the famous Catwalk, was a central point in the mining saga. The town called both Graham and Whitewater grew up around a mill built by John T. Graham in 1893 and lived less than 10 years. All that remains to mark the spot is part of the mill walls still clinging to the west side of the canyon near the entrance to The Catwalk. The mines above the canyon were worked from their discovery in 1889 until 1942 (Billy the Kid's stepfather, William Antrim, was a blacksmith at Graham). The Helen Mining Company was first to develop 13 claims about 4 miles upstream from the mill, which could not be built closer to the mines because of the rough, narrow canyon. A 3-mile, 4-inch metal pipeline provided a continuous water supply to the town and its electric generator. A larger 18" pipeline was built in 1897 to run a big, new generator. Today’s Catwalk follows the route of the original line. Pipe used in the water line was delivered to the site on wagons drawn by teams of up to 40 horses. Ore was pulled down the mountain by smaller teams to an ore chute, located on the ridge just above the mill. Brace holes were drilled into the solid rock walls, sometimes 20 feet above the canyon floor, to hold the timbers and iron bars that supported the smaller water line along its meandering course. Some of the original 18" pipes support sections of the present-day Catwalk. The massive rock walls of Whitewater Canyon saw few visitors until the Civilian Conservation Corps. was assigned the task of rebuilding The Catwalk as a recreation attraction for the Gila National Forest. The present metal catwalk was built by the Forest Service in 1961 and extensively renovated in 2004. The Catwalk is located 5 mi. east of Glenwood, past the Glenwood Hatchery, an excellent stop to visit!
SCENIC TOURS – 21
Billy the Kid “Come gather round and I’ll sing you a song, A tale of Pat Garrett and the Kid who went w ron g, Way down in New Mexico, long, long ago, Where a man’s only law was his own for ty-four. Now when Billy the Kid was a ver y young lad , In old Silver City he went to the bad. Way out West with a knife in his hand, At the age of twelve years he killed his first m an.” Billy the Kid
BILLY’S ROOTS. The myth that Billy the Kid killed his first man in Silver City is just that—one of many legends surrounding this young gunslinger’s career. Possibly the most writtenabout western figure, little is actually known about Billy the Kid’s early childhood. He was probably born around 1859 in New York City. In 1873 he was a witness at the marriage of his mother, Catherine McCarty, to William Antrim in Santa Fe. Like many New Mexicans, Antrim was a jack-of-all-trades with a burning desire to strike it rich. So within months of acquiring a wife and two sons, Billy’s stepfather moved his family to the southwest’s newest and richest mining district—Silver City. MEMORIES OF BILLY. Today in Silver City, Billy’s memory lives in family stories handed down and in our imaginations. In a 1902 interview, Sheriff Whitehill summed up his memories of the Kid: “There was one peculiar characteristic that to an experienced man-hunter would have marked him immediately as a bad man,” the sheriff remarked with placid hindsight, “and that was his dancing eyes. They never were at rest, but continually shifted and roved much like his own rebellious nature.” We have added brief notes on the Billy the Kid sites found in Day Trips 1 and 3.
BOYHOOD HOME. In the rough mining boom town, William Antrim purchased a lot on the east side of Main Street, now the Big Ditch, south end of Visitors Center. (Site 1-4). The log cabin where the Antrim family lived was eventually torn down in 1894. By many accounts, Antrim was a negligent father, away long periods of time on the perennial quest for gold and silver. Mrs. Antrim, who suffered from tuberculosis, took in boarders to support the family. SCHOOL LIFE. Like any kid in town, Billy, then named Henry McCarty, went to school. A classmate, Anthony Conner, remembers him: “He was very slender. He was undersized and was really girlish-looking. I don’t think he weighed over 75 pounds. He had coal black hair and coal black eyes . . . I never remember Billy doing anything out of the way, any more than the rest of us. We 22 – SCENIC TOURS
–from the “Ballad of Billy the Kid”
had our chores to do, like washing the dishes and other duties about the house. Billy got to be quite a reader. He would scarcely have his dishes washed, until he would be sprawled over somewhere reading a book.” BILLY’S MOTHER DIES. On September 16, 1874, Mrs. Antrim died of consumption (tuberculosis). The local newspaper reported simply “the funeral occurred at the family residence on Main Street at 2:00 on Thursday.” Billy’s mother was buried in town; later moved to the Memory Lane Cemetery off US180, where her grave can be found (1-21). Billy got a job waiting tables at the nearby Star Hotel (Site 1-5.) Sheriff H.H.Whitehill reminisced that the boy’s first “offense was the theft of several pounds of butter from a ranchman . . . which he disposed of to one of the local merchants.” FIRST ARREST. Billy’s boyhood friend, Anthony Conner, ascribed Billy’s new predilection to his reading matter. “Finally he took to reading the Police Gazette and dime novels. One night he robbed a Chinese laundry. I think it was regarded by him as more of a prank than anything else. But Sheriff Harvey Whitehill locked him up for it . . . Mr. Whitehill only wished to scare him.” ESCAPE FROM JAIL (SITE 1-3). The sheriff ’s account agrees that putting the 15-year-old Billy in jail was meant only to convince the youngster of the perils of crime. The adobe jailhouse stood on the site of today’s Forest Service warehouses on Hudson Street. Billy complained to Whitehill of a lack of exercise, and was allowed once a day in the jail’s corridor. Left alone 30 minutes, the slender Billy promptly climbed out the jail’s chimney and escaped. Silver City’s reaction was casual. The Grant County Herald commented briefly: “Henry McCarty, who was arrested on Thursday and committed to jail to await the action of the Grand Jury upon charges of stealing clothes from Charley Sun and Sam Chung, celestials, sans cues, sans Joss sticks, escaped from prison yesterday through the chimney. It’s believed that Henry was simply the tool of ‘Sombrero Jack’ who done the stealing while Henry done the hiding. Jack has skinned out.”
Other
Famous N A M E S Photo: Alfred S. Addis Courtesy of Museum of NM.(Negative No. 99054)
Boyhood Home of Billy the Kid
BILLY THE KID TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Cabin Site Mother’s Grave Jail Escape Site Garrett Hearse
1-4 1-21 1-3 1-23
Today’s Cabin. The cabin on the site was designed after an 1870’s cabin, the era when Billy lived here in town. The cabin was donated by producer-director Ron Howard and used in his 2003 movie, “The Missing”. Silver City in Late 1870s
Today’s Cabin
FIRST KILLING. In Arizona, in 1877, the waifish 17-year-old shot a blacksmith who was bullying him in a bar. A jury found the murder “unjustifiable.” Billy fled back to New Mexico. He was befriended by Tunstall in Lincoln, and was treated as a son for the first time. When Tunstall was killed, Billy became embroiled in the County War, a dispute between two parties battling for economic control of the rich county. Gunfighter and rustler, Billy went on to escape from two more jails, to meet Gov. Lew Wallace (author of “Ben Hur”) and to become something of a popular folk figure. By the age of 21, he could be linked to the deaths of at least 12 men. Finally on July 14, 1881, the young outlaw was killed in a gun battle with Sheriff Pat Garrett. Garrett’s sensational “The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid,” included the tall tale that the 12-year-old Billy knifed his first man in Silver City. Garrett was carried to his grave in the hearse at Site 1-23. BILLY’S BROTHER AND STEPFATHER. Billy’s brother, Joseph, stayed until in 1884 he was arrested in a fracas; later became a miner and gambler of little fame. Billy’s stepfather, William Antrim, continued as fortune-seeker and served as a mine superintendent in Mogollon. Antrim died in California in the 1920s.
The draw of mining riches, great climate and solitude brought famous names to Silver City: Teddy Roosevelt. In 1913 he stayed at today’s Burro Mountain Homestead; hunted the XSX Ranch. Franklin D. Roosevelt. While Secretary of the Navy, he and Eleanor also visited the Homestead, as friends of the Fergusons. Kit Carson. Scouted for Gen. Kearney, passing by Santa Rita mine in 1846, later as a teamster there. He hauled supplies and hunted for Piños Altos stores. Butch Cassidy (& the Wild Bunch). “Jim Lowe’s cowhands” at WS Ranch near Glenwood between robberies. George Hearst. George and Phoebe Hearst, parents of William Randolph Hearst, owned a Piños Altos mine (1-22), the Santa Rita copper mine (2-18), and a ranch near Deming. Lorenzo Carrasco. Owned early mines and mills in Silver City; (Judge) Roy Bean. Ran a store in Piños Altos with his brother Sam. (Site 1-27) Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing. Assigned to Fort Bayard as 2nd Lieutenant in 1886-87. (Site 2-19) Major Gen. Claire Chennault. Later gained fame with the Flying Tigers in China. He crashed a Ft. Bliss (TX) plane on an unauthorized forest fishing trip in the Gila. Geronimo, Nana, Cochise, Chato, Victorio & Natchez. Roamed area. Geronimo born near Cliff Dwellings. Mangas Coloradas (Red Sleeves). Apache chief was persuaded to surrender in Piños Altos and then was killed at Ft. McLane in 1863. (Site 2-22.) Chicago White Stockings (White Sox). Held their spring training at Faywood Hot Springs (near Site 2-20), when the team was owned by A.J. Spalding (sporting goods). Stewart Granger and wife Jean Simmons. Owned the 7-L-Bar Ranch, part of today’s Ponderosa. William Goodrich (tires), Gus Hilton (hotels) (Conrad’s father) and Mark Twain. Reported visitors at Southern Hotel. Col. José Carrasco and Don Francisco de Elquea were early owners of Santa Rita mine. (Site 2-18) Herbert Hoover. Was 1898 asst. manager of mine in Carlisle (near Arizona); Marshall Field (Chicago dept. store) was there too. Astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt. Geologist on Apollo 17 grew up here. Lottie Deno. A well-known gambler at Georgetown and the inspiration for Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke. Other Names: Bronze medalist George Young, the only American to run in four Olympics; Ralph Kiner, Baseball Hall of Fame (Pirates/Mets); Billy Casper, Professional golfer. SCENIC TOURS – 23
Mining Mangas Coloradas, “Red Sleeves,” chief of the Apache nation, sent arrows tipped with copper flying into camps as his “calling cards.” Kit Carson wrote of storing a load of furs in an old mine at Santa Rita.
DAY TRIP 6
MINING
(SELF-GUIDED) Map page 17 TRIP #6: MINING (Self-Guided) gives a good feel for the extent mining has influenced history in this area. Use with the Tour 2, heading east on US180 & NM152. Highway milepost markers were used to aid you (e.g., M2.3, NM152). Round-trip mileage from Silver City: sites A-N, 45 mi.; Site O, 30 mi.; sites P-R, 20 mi.
A. Kneeling Nun (M2.3, NM152) See Tour 2-17. B. Mathis Lime (M3.2, NM152) Lime for copper recovery. C. Kearney Mine (M5.7, NM152 on the left) The headframe and dump on the hill to your left was a zinc mine operated by Peru Mining or its successor until 1974. D. Santa Rita/Chino Open Pit Copper Mine (M6, NM152) See details in Tour 2-18. Mine and concentrator in distance to right, operated by FreeportMcMoRan, produce a copper concentrate. The copper was then pumped via pipes to Site N. Copper sulfate from a leaching operation is also processed through a solvent extraction/electrowinning plant (to east) resulting in plates of .999 copper. E. Georgetown Site and Cemetery (M6.9, NM152) Georgetown, once called the treasure vault of New Mexico, was a silver-mining boomtown that prospered until the Silver Panic of 1893. The cemetery is 4 mi. north on scenic Georgetown Rd. The town site is 1 mi. north of the cemetery.
SANTA RITA Mining Equipment APACHE MINERS. Indians harvested the copper that “grew from the ground in fernlike pieces.” Mangas Coloradas or “Red Sleeves,” chief of the Apache nation, sent arrows tipped with copper flying into camps as his “calling cards.” This was after Indians were slain in 1837 by a howitzer concealed in the brush. The Indians cut off all supplies, remnants of the camp fled south; Santa Rita remained a ghost town until 1858. SPANISH MINERS. The Santa Rita del Cobre Mine was old when the California Gold Rush began. Lt. Col. José Carrasco ignored orders to destroy the Apache. Instead, he did a favor for the Indians who showed him native copper and where to find more. About 1800, Carrasco and a party of 24 arrived in Santa Rita and opened the second oldest copper mine in the U.S. (only Lake Superior’s deposits were known earlier). AMERICAN MINERS. Trappers seeking beaver learned about the mine. Kit Carson wrote of storing a load of furs in an old mine. Sylvester Pattie decided to buy it, but left when a trusted employee absconded with $30,000 of his capital. END OF INDIAN RAIDS. In 1872, Cochise, successor to Mangas Coloradas, agreed to move his tribesmen to reservations. Martin B. Hayes took over the old copper mines, including one known as the “Chino” (“Chinaman”), but Gerónimo continued to war against the whites. While Gerónimo was held captive (1877–1882), J. Parker Whitney bought out the Santa Rita. Richer veins played out. At that time, no one knew the low-grade sulphide rock would become the foundation of one of state’s greatest industries. — from Chino CHINO MINES John Sully, at the request of G.E. Co. in 1904, studied the property for possible operation as an open pit mine. But G.E. lost interest. Sully persevered, and received financial backing in 1909, starting Chino Copper Company, and built a new mill at Hurley (9 mi. away). Kennecott bought the mine in the 1930s, built a smelter in 1939, added a fire refinery in 1942, a reduction mill in 1983, and a new smelter in 1984. Mitsubishi bought 30% in the early 1980s. Phelps Dodge bought the remaining 70% later. Freeport-McMoRan purchased the mine in 2007 and the smelter was dismantled in 2007. Regularly scheduled Historic mining district tours available on the second Tuesday of each month from the Bayard City Hall, 800 Central, Bayard. Tours leave at 10am on a Corre Caminos bus. Reservations are required at $5 and are about 11⁄2 hours. Learn more about the underground mining history of the area. View historic mine headframes and the open pit copper mine at Santa Rita by a knowledgeable guide. Call 537-3327 for reservations and information.
TYRONE Tyrone started up in 1909 when the Phelps Dodge Corp. bought several claims, the first of 300 they would own by 1916. Mrs. James Douglas and Mrs. Dodge engaged Bertram Goodhue, later of San Diego Exposition fame, who designed Spanish-type office buildings and homes—excluding outdoor plumbing, saloons, and brothels. When mines closed nationwide in 1921, Tyrone became the “most beautiful ghost town in the west” and served for a time as a dude ranch. Sept. 1, 1966, Phelps Dodge established its large open pit copper mine and mill, and the “Sleeping Beauty” awakened. Fred Borenstein is said to have bought the $100,000 railroad depot for salvage and sold it for $1. He didn’t have the heart to wreck it. Freeport-McMoRan purchased the Tyrone mine in 2007. — from Silver City Enterprise
24 – SCENIC TOURS Santa Rita Pit
(Return west on NM152, 2 mi. to NM356 (Fierro Rd), CHECK MILEAGE, and turn north).
F. Empire Zinc Mine & Mill (0.3 mi. on Fierro Rd) NJ Zinc was operated by New Jersey Zinc until 1970. G. Republic Mine (1.6 mi.). Iron mine workings on left (also NE). H. St. Anthony’s Church (2.8 mi.) Old church with superb view of Site I from parking lot. Stone religious grotto. I. Cobre Mining Mine and Mill (Seen from Site H) Sharon Steel operated this mill, open pit, and underground mine until copper prices dropped too low. Now Cobre Mining. Forest Road to North. Return south on NM356, CHECK MILEAGE when crossing NM152.
J. Princess Mine (NM356, 0.2 mi., on hill to left). Headframe is US Smelting & Refining’s old Princess mine operated through the 1960s. K. Combination Mine (NM356, 0.5 mi. on right). The remains of an old ASARCO lead-zinc mine; reclaimed in 1995. L. Santa Rita Concentrator (NM356, 2.5 mi. to NE). Leach dump is on hill to right. M. Vanadium (NM356, 2.6 mi. right) ASARCO’s Ground Hog leadzinc mine and mill until late 1970s. Go south 2.5 mi., turn right onto US180 and return to Silver City. Return via US180, go south 15 mi. on NM90. N. Freeport-McMoRan Tyrone Mine (M32, NM90) Leached copper sulfate is processed through a solvent extraction/electrowinning plant, giving .999 copper. Return through Silver City, north on NM15.
O. Hearst Mine (M5.1, NM15) Details on Tour 1-22. The Hearst mine was in the saddle (to west) between peaks. P. Burro-Drawn Arrastra Site (M7.8, NM15) Burro-drawn arrastra to grind ore in mid-1800s. A short dirt road leads to a parking area for this site. (Site 2-4)
Q. Legal Tender Mine (Directly west, behing the County Courthouse.) City’s original silver mine. R. Mineral Museum (2 blocks north on Little Walnut Road) Mineral displays at Royal Scepter for the rockhounder and those interested in the history and beauty of rock specimens.
Fort Bayard
Fort Bayard NATIONAL
HISTORIC LANDMARK
Fort Bayard served as U.S. Army post during Indian Wars 1866-1899 and as an Army Sanatorium from 1899-1920. Today it provides geriatric care and substance abuse treatment. Once home to the Mimbres and "Red Paint" Chiricahua Apaches, irregular cavalry troops protecting settlements had camped in the area during the Civil War. In 1865, it was requested that a new fort be established in the southwestern region. In 1866, the 125th U.S. Infantry established Fort Bayard between Piños Altos and Santa Rita. The post was name Fort Bayard in honor of Gen. Bayard who had served in the Territory before being killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg. In 1871 a lieutenant described the fort: "The locality was all that could be desired; the Post everything undesirable." From 1873-75 it went from tents and huts to adobe officers’ quarters. Later the Fort was known as one of the most attractive posts in the southwest. Fort Bayard was home to Native American Indian Scouts, Buffalo Soldiers (several were Medal of Honor recipients, recognized by the statue of honoree Cpl. Clinton Greaves), and Will Cathay (A.K.A. Cathy Williams) who was the only known female Buffalo Soldier. Gen. George Crook and Lt. "Black Jack" Pershing served at the post. The Indian threat ended when Gerónimo surrendered in 1886. In 1899, facing abandonment, they transferred it to the Army Medical Department because of the healing qualities of the high altitude and dry sunny climate. It became the first U. S. Army tuberculosis sanatorium, with Major D.D.M. Bushnell in charge. R.N. Kinney, later director of Army Nurses Corps, supervised the inclusion of female nurses in the Department. In 1922, under the Veterans Administration, WW-I and WW-II veterans were rehabilitated. German POWs were housed. In 1965 under the State of New Mexico it was made a long-term health care center. The 1866 cemetery was named a National Cemetery in 1976. Fort Bayard was designated a New Mexico Historic District in 2001 and a National Historic Landmark in 2004.
SCENIC TOURS – 25
Blackhawk over the Gila
Photo: Bob Pelham
Photo: Ralph Fisher
Male Lesser Goldfinch
Hummingbird
Birding 339 species, approximately 85% of the bird species that can be seen in New Mexico. Southwest New Mexico has a well-deserved reputation for birding. The lush riparian river valleys, scenic mountains and canyons, and the surrounding grasslands of the Gila National Forest attract about 339 species, approximately 85% of the bird species that can be seen in New Mexico. The scenic byways of Grant County offer beautiful vistas and a variety of habitats you can visit in a leisurely day’s drive. A morning can be spent birding along the Gila River looking for warblers and flycatchers. The afternoon can be spent in the cool pines of Cherry Creek looking for tanagers and yes, more warblers. Birding in Grant County has year-around rewards. In winter there are many locations that offer scenery of beautiful rock formations, sandy washes and hidden springs that are a magnet for wintering birds. Spring migrations begin in mid-to-late April with a flow of migrants up the Gila River Valley. Summer offers excellent birding in the cool forested mountains, as well as the river valleys. A small sampling of the species found here include Montezuma Quail, Common Black Hawk, Red-faced Warbler, Lucy’s Warbler, Olive Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Hepatic Tanager, Vermillion Flycatcher, Stellar’s and Pinyon Jays, Bald and Golden Eagles, American Dipper, Nuthatches, Acorn Woodpeckers, and the Juniper and Bridled Titmouse. Hummingbird species include Allen’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Blue-throated, Magnificent, and Rufous. Put Grant County and the Gila National Forest on your list of birding destinations. - Jackie Blurton SOUTHWEST BIRDING TRAIL. Southwest New Mexico was the first area of the state to develop a birding guide. Forty-one sites were selected and include a wide variety of habitats. The official Southwestern New Mexico Birding Trail maps are available through area Chambers of Commerce and United States Forest Service offices, as well as local Audubon chapters. For more information on these birding sites go to: www.oldwestcountry.com and www.tmsbyway.com. OVER 20 BIRDING AREAS IDENTIFIED. It’s been said that this area is one of the top birding spots in the nation and birders who visit regularly believe this is true. Follow the sites.
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Birding Destinations in Grant County WRITTEN BY JACKIE BLURTON SEE MAP ON PAGE 31
Birding In & Near Silver City B1. The Big Ditch Park in Silver City Once the main street of Silver City in the late 1800s, this unique park was created by a series of floods in the early 1900s. It’s a pleasant place to bird in addition to visiting historic downtown Silver City. Location: At the Silver City Grant Co. Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. Facilities: Restrooms at Visitor Center. Habitat: Riparian.
B2. Little Walnut Picnic Area This Gila National Forest picnic area north of Silver City has well-signed trails and offers birding as well as pleasant hiking. Location: North from Silver City on Little Walnut Road. Travel time one-way: 15 minutes. Facilities: Toilets, picnic tables. Habitat: Ponderosa pine, piñon-juniper and oak woodlands.
B3. Cherry Creek & McMillen Campgrounds This beautiful canyon offers excellent birding for forest species. The campgrounds are a mile apart and there are signs indicating each entrance. Location: North on NM 15, milepost 11.5 and 12.5. Travel time one-way: 30 minutes. Facilities: Toilets, picnic tables. Habitat: Riparian and mixed conifer.
B4. Lake Roberts This beautiful mountain lake offers excellent birding for waterfowl and mountain species. The State Game Commission owns Lake Roberts and a GAIN (Gain Access Into Nature) permit is required. This special permit helps wildlife and is available at Wal-Mart and Doc Campbell’s Post near the Gila Cliff Dwellings. The cost is $9 for a 5-day permit or $20 annually. Location: North on NM 15 then right on NM 35 to Lake Roberts. Travel time one-way: 1 hour 15 minutes. Facilities: Toilets, picnic tables. Habitat: Aquatic, ponderosa pine, piñonjuniper and oak woodlands
B5. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Trail 151 from the Monument provides good access for birding along the West Fork of the Gila River. You can also bird on the half-mile walk to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. The Visitor Center has a great selection of Native
We offer this guide as your introduction to some of the best birding locations in Grant County. Travel times are from Silver City. Area maps and SW New Mexico Birding Maps are available at the Silver City - Grant County Chamber of Commerce at 201 N. Hudson in Silver City. These locations are keyed to the Grant County Recreation Map. American, southwest and nature books. Location: North on NM 15, milepost 46. Travel time one-way: 1 hour 45 minutes. Facilities: Toilets at the Visitor Center, Cliff Dwellings Entry Station, and picnic areas; entry fee for Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument trail. Habitat: Riparian, ponderosa pine, piñonjuniper, and oak woodlands
Birding East of Silver City B6. Ft. Bayard Wildlife Refuge Historic Ft. Bayard was a frontier cavalry fort in the late 1800s. A National Cemetery is located here. Marked National Recreation Trails in the refuge offer pleasant hiking and opportunities to see elk. Location: East on Hwy 180, turn left at light to Ft Bayard then follow the signs for forest road 536. The road dead ends in 3 miles at the trailhead but you can pull off at several locations along the way to bird. Travel time one-way: 15 minutes. Facilities: None Habitat: Riparian, grasslands, piñonjuniper, and oak woodlands.
B7. Black Range The Black Range offers a beautiful variety of scenery and convenient places to park and bird in the National Forest campgrounds along NM 152. These campgrounds are Lower Gallinas, Upper Gallinas, Railroad Canyon, and Iron Creek. Location: East on Hwy 180 then left on NM 152. Travel time one-way: 1 hour. Facilities: Toilets, picnic tables. Habitat: Riparian, mixed conifer.
Birding West of Silver City B8. Mangas Springs. This small marsh along Hwy 180 is an oasis in the surrounding arid grasslands. Location: West on Hwy 180 between milepost 96 and 95 on west side of highway. Turn west onto McMillen Road, which parallels Hwy 180 for a half-mile. There’s a small
pull off with a trashcan where you can park and walk along the road to bird. The road intersects again with Hwy 180. The sign at this junction says Mangas Springs. Travel time one-way: 20 minutes. Facilities: None. Habitat: Marsh, cottonwoods and willows.
B9. Gila River Bird Habitat Management Unit The Gila River Bird Habitat on the Gila National Forest is a major migration route. Location: West on Hwy 180 then left at the Bill Evens Lake turnoff, milepost 87. In about 3.5 miles there is a Y-intersection. Continue straight south onto the gravel road which will take you to the Gila River Bird Habitat. It’s about 5 miles. The gravel road will ascend into the hills away from the river for a few miles and than return to the river at the River Vista parking area. You’ll find excellent birding as you follow the paths through cottonwoods and river willows along the river. Travel time one-way: 1 hour. Facilities: Toilet at each location. Habitat: Aquatic, riparian, and desert foothills.
B10. Gila River Iron Bridge Conservation Area You can bird from the beautiful iron bridge that spans the Gila River. Location: West on Hwy 180 to the Gila River Bridge, milepost 85. After crossing the Gila River take an immediate left onto Iron Bridge Road. Go a short distance farther and park at the boulders. You can see the Iron Bridge from here. Go through the gate in the fence to get to the bridge. Travel time one-way: 45 minutes. Facilities: None. Habitat: Aquatic, riparian.
B11. Catwalk of Whitewater Canyon The Catwalk National Recreation Trail, made up of metal walkways attached to the rock walls of Whitewater Canyon, make this a unique birding excursion. Location: West on Hwy 180 to Glenwood, mile marker 50, then turn right on NM 174. Travel time one-way: 1 hour 15 min. Facilities: Toilets and picnic area Habitat: Riparian SCENIC TOURS – 27
HIKING IN GRANT COUNTY
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACKIE BLURTON
Grant County, a land of contrast and diversity, is a splendid place for hiking in all seasons. You don’t have to go far to find a trail to set your feet upon and enjoy one of our great recreational pastimes. A few minutes walk from the road and you’ll be surrounded with solitude and the whisper of pines and aspens. Pool-filled canyons lead you through shady forests and sun-filled meadows. Mountain peaks will beckon you. There are trails that follow the very crest of the Black Range and the Mogollon Mountains and offer spectacular, boundless vistas. Far below, hidden canyons of cliffs and spires where eagles and ravens soar, wind their serpentine way to the far distant plains. If you have a passion to hike the backbone of the continent, the Continental Divide Trail runs right through Grant County. Many sections of trail are new and offer outstanding day hikes. Come hiking in Grant County. You’ll marvel at this unique country. Shear volcanic cliffs tower above river corridors. Pinnacles of rock rise from the mountainsides like dragons teeth. Hidden springs provide a focal point for wildlife and the activities of ancient peoples and frontier miners. Grasslands and piñon/juniper woodlands skirt the mountains. Pine and aspen forests grace the peaks. Blue mountains blend into blue skies on the horizon. You won’t find trailhead parking lots crammed with cars. You will find great beauty, solitude, and wonderful trails. A large portion of the Gila National Forest is in Grant County and has an extensive system of maintained trails. The forest includes the 558,065-acre Gila Wilderness, and the 202,016-acre Aldo Leopold Wilderness.
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28 – SCENIC TOURS
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“Mountain peaks will beckon you.”
The Gila Wilderness
A natural rock formation
Hiking in the Gila
MAPS: Gila National Forest maps, wilderness maps and trail information are available at the Gila National Forest office, 3005 E. Camino Del Bosque, Silver City, NM 88061, and at the District Ranger Stations.
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Hiking Destinations in Grant County WRITTEN BY JACKIE BLURTON SEE MAP ON PAGE 31
Hiking Near Silver City H1. Little Walnut Picnic Area/Gomez Peak Trail System
There are well-signed loop trails. Location: North of Silver City on Little Walnut Road Travel time one-way: 15 min Facilities: Toilets, picnic area Vegetation: Ponderosa, piñon-juniper
Hiking North of Silver City H2. Signal Peak Trail #742
This is a nice half-day, 5-mile roundtrip hike to the Signal Peak lookout tower at 9000 ft. Location: North on NM 15, milepost 14; look for the trailhead sign on the right and parking pull-off on the left Travel time one-way: 30 min. Facilities: None Vegetation: Mixed conifer, oak
H3. Gila River, Middle Fork Trail #157 and West Fork Trail #151
Trail #157 begins at the Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor Center. Trail #151 begins at the entry station to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. These are out and back hikes, so go as far as you want. Both have numerous river crossings and appropriate footwear is recommended. I use fabric and leather boots that I don’t mind getting wet. Don’t hike these trails when rivers are at flood stage. Location: North on NM 15 at the Gila Cliff Dwellings Monument Travel time one-way: 1 hr 45 min Facilities: Toilets and picnic areas Environment: Riparian, ponderosa
H4. Little Creek Trail #160
Trail #160 climbs a ridge with great views of mountains and canyons. It’s 4.25 miles one-way to Little Creek. You can make a 9-mile loop by hiking #160, #162, EE Canyon Trail #813, and West Fork Trail #151 back to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Location: On NM15, before the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Travel time one-way: 1 hr 45 min. Facilities: Toilet Vegetation: Ponderosa, piñon-juniper
H5. Little Bear Canyon Trail #729
This trail takes you over a ridge and through the beautiful Little Bear Canyon narrows to the Middle Fork of the Gila River. It’s 4.25 miles one-way. Flash floods are possible in Little Bear during rainstorms. Location: North on NM 15, before the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Here are a few of our favorite day hikes. Travel time to the trailheads is from Silver City. Trail mileage is approximate. Area maps are available at the Silver City/Grant County Chamber of Commerce. Gila National Forest and Wilderness maps are available at the Gila National Forest Supervisors Office, 3005 E. Camino Del Bosque in Silver City, and at District Ranger Stations. Travel time one-way: 1 hr 45 min. Facilities: Toilet Vegetation: Ponderosa, piñon-juniper
Hiking East of Silver City H6. Fort Bayard Wildlife Refuge
The refuge is part of the Gila National Forest and has many trails but few signs. A favorite destination is a 4-mile roundtrip hike to the Big Tree, a 600-year-old Alligator Juniper. The trail is marked. Location: East on Hwy 180, left at the light to Fort Bayard. Stay to the right at all the “Y” intersection until you come to Forest Road 536. Go 3 miles on the gravel road to the parking area at the end of the road. Travel time one-way: 30 min Facilities: None Vegetation: Ponderosa, piñon-juniper
H7. Gallinas Canyon Trail #129 and Railroad Canyon Trail #128 Both trails begin from the same trailhead. At 1.5 miles the trail divides. Trail #129 switchbacks up a slope to the left and goes up Gallinas Canyon 4.5 miles to the crest of the Black Range at 9000 ft. Trail #128 continues up Railroad Canyon 3.5 miles to the crest of the Black Range at 8800 ft. Location: East on NM 152 in the Black Range; look for trailhead sign for #129 on the left. Travel time one-way: 50 min. Facilities: Toilet Vegetation: Mixed conifer
H8. Black Range Crest Trail #79 Crest Trail #79 South from Emory Pass: This is a great hike along the Black Range crest through cool pines and aspens. It’s 4 miles one way to Sawyers Peak at 9640 ft. Crest Trail #79 North from Emery Pass: This trail offers many exceptional vistas. An excellent day hike destination is the 5.5-mile hike to the lookout tower on Hillsboro Peak at 10,011 ft. Location: East on NM 152 in the Black Range at Emory Pass Travel time one-way: 1 hr. Facilities: Toilet Vegetation: Mixed conifer, aspen
Hiking West of Silver City H9. Little Dry Creek Trail #180 It’s 4.5 miles to Windy Gap at 8200 ft up this narrow canyon with a stream and pools. Location: West on Hwy 180; turn right on Forest Road 147 about 1 mile after the Aldo Leopold Historical Monument; go 3.5 miles, then left on Forest Road 196; it’s about 4 miles to the trailhead. Travel time one-way: 1.5 hr Facilities: None Vegetation: Mixed conifer, aspen
H10. Holt Apache Trail #181 It’s 5 miles and a 2800 ft elevation gain from the trailhead to Holt Spring at 9200 ft. Location: West on Hwy 180; look for the #181 trail sign on the right side of the road about 4 miles after the Aldo Leopold Historical Monument; it’s 4 miles on Forest Road 146 to the trailhead. Travel time one-way: 1 hr Facilities: None Vegetation: Mixed conifer, aspen
H11. Catwalk National Recreation Trail, Whitewater Trail #207 The Catwalk National Recreation Trail is 1.1 miles of suspended metal walkways, stairs and bridges. Trail #207 continues on up the canyon if you want to hike further. Location: West on Hwy 180 to Glenwood; turn right onto Whitewater Road and go 5 miles to the end of the road. Travel time one-way: 1.5 hr Facilities: Picnic area and toilets; fee area Vegetation: Riparian, piñon-juniper
Hiking South of Silver City H12. Continental Divide Trail This is part of the Continental Divide National Recreation Trail. The trail going north from the parking area climbs up to Jacks Peak at 8000 ft. The trail going south goes through high desert hills and washes. Location: South on Hwy 90 on north side of road between milepost 20 and 21. Travel time one-way: 20 min Facilities: None Vegetation: High desert, piñon-juniper, oak woodlands; conifers on Jacks Peak SCENIC TOURS – 29
Cycling & Biking Destinations in Grant County WRITTEN BY JACKIE BLURTON SEE MAP ON PAGE 31
Mountain Bike Rides Grant Count has some of the best year-around bicycling. Here are some of our favorite mountain and road rides. Area maps are available at the Silver City/Grant County Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Hudson Street in Silver City. More information, bike gear, sales and service are available at the bike shops in Silver City. M1. Burro CDT South
This is a new segment of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Location: South from Silver City on NM 90 between milepost 22 & 21. Turn right onto Forest Road 282. At the end of the road park near the trailhead sign for Jacks Peak. Across the grassy clearing to the south is a cairn and CDT marker at the trailhead. Difficulty: Moderate Travel time to trailhead: 20 min.
M2. Little Walnut Picnic Area/ Gomez Peak Trail System
This is a great system of trails that begin at the Little Walnut Picnic Area. Directions to trailhead: North of Silver City on Little Walnut Road Difficulty: Moderate to difficult Travel time to trailhead: 15 min.
M3. Fort Bayard Wildlife Refuge
This is part of the Gila National Forest and has a great system of National Recreation Trails. Directions to trailhead: East from Silver City on Hwy 180, between milepost 118 and 119 turn left onto Arenas Valley Road then go 1 mile to the parking area. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. Travel time to trailhead: 15 to 20 min.
Road Bike Rides Lightly traveled roads make Grant Co. a great place for year-around cycling. R1. US Highway 180 West (NM Bike Route 18)
A light to moderately traveled two-lane road with shoulders. Directions: Ride west from Silver City on Hwy 180 Terrain: Hills and valleys
R2. NM 15 to Sapillo Creek
This is a local favorite. From Silver City to Piños Altos, about 7 miles, the road is 2-lane with shoulders. North of Piños Altos the road becomes a narrow 2-way with no 30 – SCENIC TOURS
lane markings or shoulders. It’s 18 miles from Piños Altos to the junction with NM 35. There are several good turn-around points if you don’t want to go all the way. The last 3-mile descent into Sapillo Creek is steep with blind hairpin curves. Directions: Ride north from Silver City on NM 15 Terrain: Winding mountain roads
Mimbres River Valley R3, R4, R5. There are 3 ride options in the Mimbres River Valley. To get to the Mimbres, go east from Silver City on Hwy 180 then turn left onto NM 152. It’s about 20 miles from Silver City to the Mimbres Valley. If you don’t want to ride this section, you can drive to the Mimbres Valley and park in a gravel parking area at the junction of NM 152 and 61 at milepost 15 and ride from there. R3 Upper Mimbres River Valley NM 35 is an easy ride up the valley to the Continental Divide between mile marker 15 and 16. Lake Roberts is 7 miles further. Location: East on Hwy 180, turn left at light to Ft Bayard then follow the signs for forest road 536. The road dead ends in 3 miles at the trailhead but you can pull off at several locations along the way to bird. Directions: Ride north from NM 152 on NM 35 Terrain: River valley
R4 Lower Mimbres River Valley NM 61 is an easy ride down the valley. Directions: Ride south from NM 152 on NM 61. It’s 26 miles to Hwy 180 Terrain: River valley
R5. Emory Pass. NM 152 continues east across the valley and climbs 17 miles into the Black Range to 8,000 ft. Emory Pass. The road up to the Gila National Forest boundary is a wide 2-lane then becomes a narrow 2-lane with blind curves and some steep grades. This is for experienced riders. Directions: Ride east on NM 152 Terrain: Winding mountain roads
Motorcycle Tours in Grant Co. Welcome to our scenic byways. Beautiful mountain scenery and good roads make Grant County a great motorcycling destination. Approximate mileages and travel times are from Silver City. Area maps are available at the Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce, 201 N Hudson Street in Silver City.
MC1. The Gila Cliff Dwellings - Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway
This is a new segment of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Miles: 122 round trip. Travel time one-way: 1 hr 45 min Gas: Silver City, the village of Mimbres, and Lake Roberts General Store on NM 35. Directions: Follow the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway by going east from Silver City on Hwy 180 or north on NM 15
MC2. The Catwalk of Whitewater Canyon and Mogollon Peak Trail System Miles: 136 round trip to the Catwalk; 163 round trip to Mogollon Travel time one-way: 1 hr 30 min to the Catwalk; 1 hr 45 min to Mogollon Gas: Silver City, Cliff, and Glenwood Directions to the Catwalk: West from Silver City on Highway 180; in Glenwood turn right onto NM 174 Directions to Mogollon: If you want to visit the old mining town of Mogollon continue north from Glenwood 3 miles and turn right onto NM 159. It’s 9 miles up a very narrow winding mountain road with blind curves and no guardrails. Mogollon has well preserved buildings from the late 1800s. Terrain: Valleys and winding mountain roads
MC3. Emory Pass and Hillsboro Miles: 74 round trip to Emory Pass; 116 round trip to Hillsboro Travel time one-way: 1 hr to Emory Pass; 1 hr 45 min to Hillsboro Gas: Silver City, Hillsboro Directions to Emory Pass: Go east from Silver City on Hwy 180, then turn left onto NM 152 Directions to Hillsboro: From Emory Pass you can continue down the east side of the Black Range to visit the town of Hillsboro Terrain: Winding mountain roads
SILVER CITY/GRANT COUNTY RECREATION MAP Birding Destinations B1-B11 Hiking Destinations H1-H12 Mountain Biking Destinations M1-M4 Road Cycling Destinations R1-R5 Motorcycling Destinations MC1-MC3
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Silver City KOA Stay a while! Free Wifi. New Kamp K9 Pet Park.
Great Camping!
We have great birding, biking and hiking information for our guests.
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Paved entry and shade trees. 30/50 amp pull-thru sites can accommodate the largest rigs. Air-conditioned Kamping Kabins. Deluxe tent sites. Group Facilities. Great showers! Heated pool.
silvercitykoa.com Reservations: 1.800.562.7623
On US Highway 180 east of milepost 118.
Great Biking!
11824 Hwy. 180 E. Silver City, NM 88022
SCENIC TOURS – 31
PRESRT STD US POSTAGE PAID Silver City, NM 88061 PERMIT No. 10
GRANT COUNTY
Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce 201 N. Hudson Street Silver City, New Mexico 88061 southwestnewmexico.org
QUALITY EXCELLENCE
Award Winning Hotel
Holiday Inn Express in beautiful Silver City is your ticket to a Southwest adventure. Let our friendly staff aid you in exploring the attractions of Silver City, Grant County and the Gila National Forest from a convenient home base. • Fully Equipped Cardio Work-Out Room • Spa Facilities • FREE Express Start Breakfast Bar with new hot options • FREE Wireless Broadband Internet in every room Located just off US Hwy 180 East next to Wendy’s • 1103 Superior Street • Silver City NM 88061
575.538.2525
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1-800-HOLIDAY
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