Hillsboro, Glenwood, Reserve, Columbus, Silver City, Deming
GUIDANCE Columbus Chamber of Commerce (575-343-0147), 401 E. Jesus Carreon Avenue, Columbus.
Deming-Luna County Chamber of Commerce (575-546-2674), 800 E. Pine, Deming.
Glenwood Area Chamber of Commerce (575-539-2711), P.O. Box 183, Glenwood.
Silver City Chamber of Commerce (575-538-3785), 201 N. Hudson Street, Silver City.
To See
TOWNS Columbus is 32 miles south of Deming on NM 11. Not quite deserted enough to be classified as a true ghost town, Columbus receives plenty of visitors curious about Pancho Villa’s March 9, 1916, border raid, as well as those touring Pancho Villa State Park. It is only 3 miles north of the Mexican border crossing at Palomas.
Deming, 61 miles west of Las Cruces on I-10, is convenient to both City of Rocks State Park and Rockhound State Park, and the town bills itself as “Rockhound’s Paradise.” The big annual event is the annual Rockhound Roundup held in March. It is another small town you will generally spend time in because you are on your way to somewhere else, unless you are one of the many “snowbirds” who regularly winter here. There are over thirty restaurants, many of them chains, to serve the population. It has ample motel accommodations and low overhead, but there isn’t much to do in the town itself, aside from touring the very worthwhile, recently remodeled Deming Luna Mimbres Museum.
Glenwood. Sixty miles northwest of Silver City on US 180. Driving into Glenwood on a sun-dappled autumn day is like coasting into a lovely little piece of paradise, or a film set from the 1940s. It is a pleasant stop for gas and a visit to any of the cafés you might happen to find open—usually one is.
Hillsboro. Once the center of gold mining activity, Hillsboro, 17 miles on NM 152 from the I-25 exit, was well on its way to becoming a true ghost town when it was discovered by a few urbanites who moved in and fixed up the old houses or built new ones to look just like the old ones. It’s a pretty place with a decent café, and it really is the gateway to the Black Range. Cowboys drew from a hat for the honor of naming it.
Mogollon. A former silver and gold mining town in the Mogollon Mountains, now with a scattering of cafés, antiques shops, and several well-weathered, photogenic wooden buildings. Still, a ghost town at heart. Silver Creek runs through the town.
Reserve is 36 miles north of Glenwood via US 180 and NM 12. Welcome to cowboy country, ma’am. A couple of bars, a gas station, and, if absolutely necessary, a motel, can provide for your immediate needs. This is not the place to share your feelings with strangers. A retreat to your motel room with a good book is the best advice.
NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED IN MOGOLLON FOR A CENTURY OR SO
Silver City. Seventy-two slow miles across Emory Pass west of exit 63 off I-25, Silver City makes an excellent base for exploring the Gila Cliff Dwellings, attending any of the many annual area festivals, and enjoying the birdlife and wildlife, and it is a good enough stop on its own, with two museums, plenty of galleries, and some restaurants that will not disappoint you, plus an historic downtown. Founded in 1870 and named for the rich silver deposits west of town, its period architecture is well preserved.
HISTORIC LANDMARKS, PLACES, AND SITES Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (575-536-2250), 44 miles north of Silver City on NM, trails open 9–5, visitor center 8–4:30; last visitor allowed into monument at 4 PM. Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day. Contact the visitor center for information on guided tours. A short drive from the visitor center along the West Fork of the Gila River, a 1-mile loop trail leads through the dwellings, natural caves that were made into 40 rooms with stone quarried by these indigenous people. They were farmers who raised squash, corn, and beans on the mesa tops and along the river. We know them by these dwellings and for their exquisite black-and-white pottery. We do not know why they abandoned their homes and can only speculate that they may have joined other pueblos. They were the home of the Mogollon people who lived here from the 1280s until the early 1300s. The trail is steep in places, as there is a 180-foot elevation gain. For camping information, inquire at the visitor center. $10 per family, $5 per individual.
Pancho Villa State Park (575-531-2711), 400 W. NM 9, 135 miles south of Deming via NM 11, Columbus. Open daily. Visitor center daily 9–5. This is the only US park named for a foreign invader! Here you can tour an extensive desert botanic garden; see the ruins of Camp Furlong, site of the attack; and view a display of early-twentieth-century military equipment. Birding is excellent, and camping is available. The 7,000-square-foot exhibit hall showcases vehicles from the 1916 raid on Columbus in which eighteen Americans were killed. This spot marks the site of the only ground invasion of American soil since 1812. The visitor center is housed in the 1902 Customs Service Building, and it is where you can learn from historic photos and exhibits all about Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s attack, though many locals continue to tell their own versions of the event, if you show a bit of curiosity. $5 day use; $18 camping.
MUSEUMS Black Range Museum (575-895-3321), NM 152, Hillsboro. Closed January and February. Call for hours. This was once the home of British-born madam Sadie Orchard, the archetypal lady of the night with a heart of gold. She served the town during epidemics and donated to good causes. Now her home tells the story of the early days of Sierra County, with an emphasis on mining. Donation.
GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS. REMOTE AND WORTH THE TRIP
Columbus Historical Society Museum (575-531-2414), corner of NM 9 and NM 11, Columbus. Winter hours September–April 10–4, Summer hours May–August 10–1, Sat.–Sun. 10–4. A restored 1902 Southern Pacific Railroad depot is the repository of collections on Columbus history, the Villa raid, and the railroad. Free.
A DELIGHTFUL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE DOLLS AND DOLLHOUSES IS ON DISPLAY AT THE DEMING LUNA MIMBRES MUSEUM
Deming Luna Mimbres Museum (575-531-), 301 S. Silver, Deming. Open Mon.–Sat. 9–4. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Americana lovers, this is your new favorite place. Visit the Quilt Room; the Doll Room, with over 600 antique dolls; the ladies’ fashion room; the military room, with mementos of the Pancho Villa raid; and the Indian Kiva, with outstanding Mimbres pottery and native basketry. This newly remodeled 1916 armory has 25,000 feet of exhibit space and a motorized chairlift. Contributions welcome. Free.
Percha Bank Museum and Gallery (575-895-5652), 119B Main Street, Kingston. Open Sat. and Sun. 10–4 or by appointment. Hard as it is to believe, in 1890 this ghost town, population 30, was New Mexico’s largest city, with 7,000 people. This museum offers an education on those days. This building is the only one remaining intact from the old days. Donation.
SILVER CITY MUSEUM
Silver City Museum (575-538-5921), 312 W. Broadway, Silver City. Open Tues.–Fri. 9–4:30, Sat. and Sun. 10–4. Closed Mondays. Open Memorial Day, Labor Day, and July 4. The museum, a brick Mansard-Italianate style home built by prospector Harry Ailman in 1880, showcases exhibits on local history. This is one of the most beloved and best-curated and maintained local history museums in the Southwest. $5.
Western New Mexico University Museum (575-538-6386), Fleming Hall, 1000 W. College, Silver City. Open Mon.–Sat. This hidden treasure of a museum houses the largest collection of prehistoric Mimbres black-on-white pottery in the nation. It will leave you breathless. Also on exhibit are Casas Grande pottery, mining artifacts, and prehistoric tools and jewelry. Open according to the university’s schedule. Collection located in Watts Hall while Fleming Hall renovation underway. Call for hours. Free.
WILDER PLACES Catwalk, (575-539-2481), Glenwood. Take US 180 from Silver City to Glenwood; go right at NM 174 for 5 miles. Originally constructed by miners in 1889, this high walkway and suspension bridge leads to a waterfall through narrow Whitewater Canyon and over the Whitewater River in the Gila National Forest. You can easily imagine the ancient people who lived here, as well as Geronimo and Butch Cassidy hiding out here. The sycamore trees and rock walls make this place special any time of year, though especially in fall. The Catwalk follows the path of a pipeline built in the 1890s to deliver water to the mining town of Graham. The trail itself is easy and maintained the first half-mile; beyond that is very rough going—not recommended. Picnic tables, grills. Free. Please check on status and carry water if you go.
SCENIC DRIVES
Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway (575-894-1968), 301 S. Foch, Truth or Consequences, is the site of the trail’s interpretive and visitor center. Open Mon.–Sat. 9–5. The geology, flora and fauna, history, and events of the area are available here. Travel a loop starting from Truth or Consequences up the Mimbres across steep, winding Emory Pass of the Black Range, passing through geological and cultural eons, and certainly, traveling in Geronimo’s footsteps. The trail loops back at San Lorenzo on NM 152. This is an all-day trip at 220 miles, and you might want to overnight in Kingston.
Gila Cliff Dwellings/ Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway (575-536-9461). Take NM 15 north from Silver City into the Gila National Forest to the Cliff Dwellings for 110 miles, through Pinos Altos, Lake Roberts, the Mimbres River, and the Santa Rita open pit copper mine to the Cliff Dwellings. Allow plenty of time, as the road is slow and there is much to see.
Lake Valley Back Country Byway (575-894-1968). Go east from Deming to Truth or Consequences via Hillsboro. Take NM 1521 and 27 for 47 miles. Slow going and well worth the trip. You’ll see ghost towns and unparalleled views of the mountains south of Truth or Consequences.
NM 185 Back Road. Go north from Las Cruces or Dona Ana to San Antonio through pecan groves and chile fields for a view of the wilder side of the Rio Grande you can’t get any other way. You can avoid the interstate all the way along this scenic two-lane. Glorious!
To Do
FARMERS’ MARKETS Silver City Farmers’ Market (silvercityfarmersmarket@gmail.com), 1400 US 180 E., Silver City. Open May–October, Saturdays 8:30–noon. Holiday markets also.
CLIMBING THE CATWALK
GILA NATIONAL FOREST
Measuring over 3.3 million acres—the nation’s sixth-largest national forest—the vast Gila is incomparable in its diversity and the opportunities it offers for outdoor recreation (3005 E. Camino del Bosque, Silver City; 575-388-8201. Ranger office open Mon.–Fri. 8–4:30). Its varied terrain ranges from high desert at 4,200 feet to rugged mountain and canyon lands at 10,900, and four of the six life zones of planet Earth are found here. Your best bet is to contact the number above to plan your trip around your specific interests. The forest, named for the Spanish corruption of a Yuma Indian word meaning “running water that is salty,” is accessible from many of the small towns in southwest New Mexico, including Quemado, Glenwood, and Reserve. Whether your interests include birding, hiking, camping—which is mostly primitive, but does include RV hookups—ATV-ing, fishing, rafting, mountain biking—it is all here, at all levels of challenge. Nearly 400 species of birds make this their home or nesting area. The forest includes the Gila Wilderness and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, the nation’s first, founded in 1924. A section of the Continental Divide Trail lies within the forest. You could spend a week here, a summer, or a lifetime.
FISHING Lake Roberts (575-536-9929), US 180 north from Deming to City of Rocks turnoff. Continue on NM 61, then NM 35 for 66 miles to the intersection of NM 15 and NM 35. Or take NM 35 north from Silver City. Open year-round. This sweet trout fishing lake, which appears like a surprise on the side of the road in the Gila National Forest, has three campgrounds. $7 camping.
CITY OF ROCKS STATE PARK RESEMBLES STONEHENGE IN ITS OWN WAY
GOLF Rio Mimbres Country Club and Golf Course (575-546-3023), Deming. Eighteen-hole public golf course, east end of Deming with views of Cookes Peak and the Floridas, with pleasant lakes and paths. Inexpensive.
Silver City Golf Course (575-538-5041), 9 Golf Course Drive, NM 90 west from downtown, left on Ridge Road. Open year-round, weather permitting. A challenging 18-hole championship public course with high desert vistas, natural vistas, and mild weather. Inexpensive.
HORSEBACK RIDING WolfHorse Outfitters (575-534-1379), 125 Arenas Valley Road, Arenas Valley. Within the Gila National Forest, create a horseback adventure with this Native American guide service. Rides through the wilderness, lodge to lodge, to the ruins, and in the moonlight. Half day $90; Full day ride $110, 6 hours, includes lunch.
HOT SPRINGS Faywood Hot Springs Resort (575-536-9663; www.faywood.com), next to City of Rocks State Park at 165 NM 61, halfway between Silver City and Deming. Open daily 10–10. Despite rumors Fayewood has closed or been sold to the mine, it is alive and well. There are over a dozen shaded, outdoor, natural, geothermal mineral water soaking pools, some public, some private, and some for overnight guests, who may use the public pools all night. “Limp in, leap out” is the motto here. Cabins, RV, and tent sites are available. $13 per adult per day; $25 per hour private tub.
PARKS Big Ditch Park, behind Bullard Street, Silver City. The flood of 1895 roared through Silver City with 12-foot-high waters, leaving behind a ditch 35 feet below street level. The subsequent flood of 1903 lowered the “Big Ditch” 20 feet more. It is now a pleasant town park for strolling and picnicking, directly behind downtown.
WINERIES St. Clair Vineyards (575-546-1179), 1325 De Baca Road, Deming. I-10 west from Las Cruces about 60 miles. Open Mon.–Sat. 9–6, Sun. noon–5. No appointments are needed for the tours offered Sat. and Sun. Grapes grown in the vineyards right here produce lovely Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel. St. Clair also operates restaurants and tasting rooms in Albuquerque’s Old Town, Las Cruces, and Farmington.
SAILING ALONG AT ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE STATE PARK
GHOST TOWNS
Bayard Historical Mining District (575-537-3327). Now owned by the Phelps Dodge Mining Co., the six underground shafts with head frames of this once-busy mining district, which produced more gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron, manganese, and molybdenum than all the other mining districts in New Mexico combined, may be toured by automobile. This area is popular with mountain bikers, horseback riders, and birders. The Buffalo Soldiers, the African American unit of the Ninth Cavalry, was stationed here 1866–99. Get tour information at the Bayard City Hall.
Chloride (575-894-1968), Main Street, Chloride. California retirees Don and Dona Edmund were inspired to purchase the entire town of Chloride, and they have, through the saintly labor of their own hands, been restoring it building by building. The general store has become the Pioneer Store Museum, open daily 8–5. Open for tours. All the original stock is still in place. You have to really want to come here, and it is an effort to reach this place, but you won’t soon forget it, either.
Kelly. While the rumor is that Monsieur Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame, constructed the mining head frame here, it turns out to be a colorful story only. Once a booming mining town of 3,000 located 2 miles north of Magdalena where zinc, copper, then silver were mined, Kelly is a ghost town made for exploring. Artists come here to retrieve materials, and care must be taken, as not all the old buildings or mine shafts are well protected. However, even if you don’t actually see the ghosts said to roam here, you can certainly feel their presence.
Kingston. Nine miles west of Hillsboro on NM 152. The home base of Sadie Orchard, the British madam with a heart of gold who made her fortune here, Kingston was a rip-snorting place with dozens of brothels and saloons and banks during the silver mining heyday. Hard to believe now, but it was once home to 7,000. Today, the population is just thirty. The old Victorio Hotel and Percha Bank still stand. Now it is quiet, picturesque, and the home of one delightful Black Range Lodge (see Lodging), and where javalinas roam Percha Creek.
Mogollon (mo-go-yone). Two hours north of Silver City on US 180, right on NM 159 between Glenwood and Alma. Calling all hard-core explorers: what is termed New Mexico’s most remote ghost town, and, I must say, one of its most haunting, is accessible only by a 9-mile road that climbs 2,080 feet via switchbacks, without guardrails. The last 5 miles become a one-lane road. Founded in 1895, this gold rush boomtown was the state’s leading mining district by 1915. While accommodations and attractions (aside from exploring and photographing on your own) come and go, at last moment before press time, the Silver Creek Inn (866-276-4882) was a functioning bed & breakfast. Do check road conditions carefully before you go.
Pinos Altos. Six miles north of Silver City on NM 15, this town sits directly on the Continental Divide. The Old West lives on here in a mining town where the Hearst Mine supplied the gold for the Hearst Castle. It is fun to photograph the splintering, wooden buildings, some housing the occasional gallery or ice-cream parlor, at sunset in their splendid decay; perhaps spot an elk wandering across the road; and order a steak at the Buckhorn Saloon.
San Antonio. Fourteen miles south of Socorro at the junction of NM 1 and US 380 off I-25 exit 139 east, San Antonio is known as the hometown of hotelier Conrad Hilton, whose father ran a boardinghouse here. It is also the gateway to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and on the main road east to Lincoln and Billy the Kid country. Today, it is the home of two famous burger houses: the Owl Cafe and the Buckhorn.
Shakespeare (575-542-9034), 2.5 miles southwest of Lordsburg. I-10 from Lordsburg at Main Street exit 22, go south and follow the signs. Guided tours available. Shakespeare, which bills itself as “the West’s most authentic ghost town,” and was named for the mining company that held silver claims, was a stagecoach and mining town in its day, and here you can see the assay office, old mail station, saloon, general store, and much more. Open second weekend of the month and by appointment. $4 per person. Please call ahead.
Winston (no phone) is so close to Chloride that the two towns are generally visited on the same trip. Both towns are at the base of the Black Range.
WHIMSICAL SILVER CITY DOORWAY
Green Space
Elephant Butte State Park, Caballo Lake State Park, and Percha Dam lie like three separate but neighboring versions of a similar geography, all fed by the Rio Grande, arrayed from north to south.
Caballo Lake State Park (575-743-3942), 16 miles south of Truth or Consequences at exit 59 off I-25. Named for the wild horses descended from the horses brought here in the 1540s by the Spanish, at Caballo find a recreation area and lake against the background of the Caballo Mountains just south of Elephant Butte, and it is much, much quieter, with excellent bass and walleye fishing. The champion striper from Caballo Lake weighed 51 pounds. There is plenty of camping available here. This is just about your best bet to see migrating bald and golden eagles. We have spotted a few during the winter, and about 50 are known to reside in the area. $5 day use; $10–18 camping.
City of Rocks State Park (575-536-2800), US 80 24 miles from Deming west toward Silver City, then 4 miles northwest on NM 61. Open daily 7 AM–9 PM. With the feel of a natural Stonehenge, this state park is an astounding array of pillars of 34.9-million-year-old wind-sculpted volcanic ashes, some up to 40 feet tall. Paths run between the rock columns like the streets of a “city.” There’s an astronomy observatory and starry-night programs. This could be the state’s premier dark-skies opportunity. $5 day use; $10–18 camping.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park (575-744-5923), I-25 exit 83, 5 miles north of Truth or Consequences. Open daily, 24 hours a day. It is huge, with 200 miles of shoreline and hundreds of campsites. This is a place for watersports of all kinds: wind surfing, fishing, and waterskiing, in addition to fishing, birding, and rock hounding. Elephant Butte Lake is the largest body of water in New Mexico, and it is well known for trophy fish, including striper, bass, and walleye. There are no elephants, only the eroded core of a volcano in the middle of the lake that somehow reminded someone of an elephant. The park hosts close to 1.7 million visitors annually. Be forewarned, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day can draw between 80,000 and 100,000 visitors. The US Bureau of Reclamation built the dam from 1912 to 1916, primarily for irrigation purposes; the reservoir capacity is 2.2 million acre feet. Boats and Jet Skis are available for rental at the two marinas. Public tours of the power plant are available. $5 day use; $8–14 camping. Houseboat, pontoon, ski boat rentals (505-744-5567).
Percha Dam State Park (575-743-3942). Just south of Caballo Dam. Known for its handicapped-accessible playground and spectacular birding, this park, with its huge cottonwoods, usually remains quiet, as it is still somewhat undiscovered. There are no developed hiking trails, only paths to the river, and walking along the dirt roads is a fine way to go. $5 day use; $10–18 camping.
Rockhound State Park/Spring Canyon (575-546-6182). From Deming, go south 5 miles on NM 11, then east on NM 141 for 9 miles. Open daily 7:30 AM–sunset. Set on the western slope of the Little Florida Mountains, the visitor center here has displays pertaining to the geology and history of the area. Known as a rockhounder’s paradise; every visitor is permitted to take 150 pounds of rocks home. There are good pickings in jasper and perlite, and you can find some geodes or thunder eggs, as they are known. $5 day use; $10–18 camping.
Lodging
BED & BREAKFASTS, MOTELS, AND INNS Black Range Lodge (575-895-5652; www.blackrangelodge.com), 119 Main Street, Kingston. When Catherine Wanek drove out from Los Angeles on her honeymoon, she spotted this old mining hotel, fell in love with it, and decided to buy it on the spot. Since that fortuitous day, this rather dark, out-of-the English countryside lodge has turned into a merry B&B. Massive stone walls and log-beamed ceilings date to 1940, but the original building dates to the 1880s, when it was built to house miners and cavalry. Despite improvements in the seven guest rooms, the original character of the place has not been tinkered with. Cyclists and tourists from all over the world are drawn here to enjoy the informality of the buffet breakfast with homemade bread, waffles, and house-grown jams and fruit. It has the feeling of a hostel, with shared claw foot tubs. The luxury guest house has a jetted hot tub and complete kitchen and wraparound deck. The Percha Creek House has five bedrooms, kitchen, dining, living room, and large deck. Catherine has become an expert and author on straw bale construction, and there are several straw bale buildings on the premises, including an all-natural meeting room that occasionally hosts live music, talks, films, and special events. $104–$181.
THE RUSTIC BLACK RANGE LODGE
THE REMODELED ART DECO MURRAY HOTEL IN SILVER CITY SHOWS OFF ITS INVITING LOBBY
Casitas de Gila Guesthouses (575-535-4455), Turkey Creek Road, Gila. Five private guest houses in perfect Southwest style and comfort are perched on a ledge overlooking Bear Creek and the Gila Wilderness. Privacy and peace and quiet are what you can expect here. The gallery displays a good selection of folk art, icons, and jewelry. Bring your binoculars to spot the bighorn sheep across the river. Ample continental breakfast is served. Also, bring your own food to cook in fully equipped kitchens. Wi-Fi, too, but no TV. Great stargazing, though. This spot frequently makes the list of “most romantic spots in New Mexico.” $170. Prices decrease the longer you stay. Pet fee $10.
Gallery 400 Inn & Art Gallery (575-313-7015), 400 N. Arizona, Silver City. A downtown lodging located in an art gallery. Or an art gallery tucked away in an historic lodging? No matter. Urbane, comfortable, casual place to stay with an atmosphere that will be instantly recognizable to world travelers and visitors from metro areas. Light continental breakfast, coffee and tea bar. $90–95.
NOTHING BEATS CURLING UP BY THE FIRE AT BEAR MOUNTAIN LODGE IN SILVER CITY
Inn on Broadway (575-388-5485), 64 Petersen Drive, Silver City. Three guest rooms and a Garden Suite conjure the glories of this 1883 merchant’s home with marble fireplaces and hand-carved imports from Germany. There’s a shady front veranda in this grand home. $125–$140.
Murray Hotel (575-956-9400), 200 W. Broadway Street, Silver City. Retro five-story streamline art deco hotel in the heart of Silver City’s Historic Downtown Arts & Cultural District is refurbished and open for business. Another of this town’s magnetic attractions. $84–$104.
Palace Hotel (575-388-1811), 106 W. Broadway, Silver City. Every town has a grand old hotel, and the 1900 Palace is Silver City’s. Although rather more diminutive than grand, it is where to stay if you collect historic hotel experiences. The eighteen rooms are small, and, facing directly on a busy street corner, it is not the quietest place in the world. The healthy continental breakfast will get you going. But it is comfortable, it has been restored, and if you are not expecting the Holiday Inn and don’t mind carrying your luggage up and down a couple of flights of stairs, all will be well. The skylit upstairs lobby is perfect for hanging out, writing postcards, and visiting. And all of downtown is in walking distance. $58–$94.
RANCHES AND LODGES Bear Mountain Lodge (575-538-2538), 60 Bear Mountain Ranch Road, Silver City. I am quite partial to Bear Mountain Lodge; in fact, it would have to be on my choice of top three places in NM to spend a week relaxing, regardless of the season. This eleven-room, spacious vintage 1928 lodge is a birder’s dream come true, especially during hummingbird season in July–August, when numerous varieties descend on Silver City. Gallery and café. Pet-friendly. $160–$265.
CABINS AND CAMPING Bear Creek Motel and Cabins (575-388-4501), 4845 NM 15, Pinos Altos. Bordering Bear Creek at the gateway to the Gila National Forest find 15 comfortable furnished cabins with porches and balconies among the tall pines. Pet friendly. $119–$159.
Continental Divide RV Park (575-388-3005), 4774 NM 15, 6 miles north of Silver City on NM 15, Pinos Altos. Smack in the middle of an apple orchard with views of the Gila National Forest, this site accommodates thirty-two RVs. Cabins and tent sites available, too. Please call for rates.
Gila Hot Springs Ranch (575-536-9314), 3778 NM 15, Mimbres. Enjoy a real kick-back time in a motel-like room; bring your RV or camp by the river. Natural hot pools and jetted tub, horseback riding, and fishing make this a real vacation. $80.
Lake Roberts Cabins & General Store (575-536-9929), Mimbres. The cabins are fully furnished with kitchens or kitchenettes, so you can catch it and cook it. $88.
Where to Eat
DINING OUT Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House (575-538-9911), 32 Main Street, NM 15, Pinos Altos. Open daily 6–10 PM, D only. Saloon opens at 3 PM. Closed Sundays. Live music sometimes. This 1860s establishment is a necessary New Mexico experience. The Old West saturates the foot-and-a-half-thick adobe walls, and the Buckhorn radiates romance in its dimmed lights. In fact, this place may have invented “character.” Dine in Victorian elegance—or belly up to the Old West bar. You’re guaranteed to meet memorable characters at the bar, if that is your choice. The steaks are excellent, prepared perfectly, and served with fresh baked sourdough bread and all the trimmings, including house-made dressings for your salad. Love that filet mignon! Steak is not the only item on the menu, however. There is a variety of dishes to please any palate. Reservations are a very good idea, especially on weekends. Weekend entertainment as well. Moderate–Expensive.
THE BUCKHORN SALOON IN PINOS ALTOS HAS AN EXPANDED MENU AND LIVE MUSIC ON WEEKENDS
THE ADOBE DELI IN DEMING IS A FOOD NETWORK STAR
Diane’s Restaurant and Bakery (575-388-1255), 510 N. Bullard Street, Silver City. L Tues.–Sun. 11–2, brunch Saturdays and Sundays. 9–2, D Tues.–Sat. 5:30–9. No matter how many times you eat at this lovely downtown bistro, the food and service are impeccable. Fish, chicken, steak, and more light, harmonious, sophisticated fare, thoughtfully prepared, with just the right spicing and saucing, at a reasonable price—what more could you ask? Try the roast Asian duck with sweet sesame glaze, juicy meat loaf with garlic mashers, or pesto pasta. Diane’s son Bodhi is busy in the kitchen, a happy chef. Fine dining with family-sized portions. You can relax in the Parlor. Moderate–Expensive.
EATING OUT Adobe Deli Steakhouse (575-546-0361), 3970 Lewis Flats Road SE, Deming. L, D Mon.–Sun. If you watch any food TV, you’ve probably encountered this place, as notable for the old barn/mounted heads decor as for the food. They serve as perfect a sandwich as you can find in these parts, with freshly baked bread and generous stacks of tasty meats. The signature onion soup is truly yummy, and the steaks are worth the drive. At the bar, you’ll not only see the Wild West characters—here you become one. Oxygen Bar upstairs. Inexpensive–Moderate.
Jalisco Cafe (575-388-2060), 103 S. Bullard Street, Silver City. L, D. Open Mon.–Sat., Closed Sundays. When I first ate here about 20 years ago, there were lace curtains on the windows of a one-room establishment. When Silver City rancher friends brought me here recently, the place had expanded to three colorful rooms of folks enjoying the hot fluffy sopaipillas, green chile chicken enchiladas, and zippy salsa on the warm, house-made chips. Consistently tasty. Inexpensive.
La Fonda (575-546-0465), 601 E. Pine Street, Deming. Enjoy the fresh warm chips, deliciously spicy salsa, fluffy sopaipillas, and delicious enchiladas at this very friendly and welcoming local spot. Inexpensive.
Millie’s Bake House (575-597-2253), 600 N. Bullard Street, Silver City. Out of the kitchen come soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods, oh my, all with the taste of homemade. Death by Chocolate is a big favorite. Inexpensive.
Shevek’s Casuals Italian Restorante (575-597-6469); 619 N. Bullard Street, Silver City. L, D Tues.–Sat. 11:30–8:30. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Mediterranean flavors in Silver City? From the world traveled longtime Silver City gifted chef Shevek, certainly. Delicious Italian food, authentic and healthy. Trouble is, you want to order everything on the menu. A delight, but with rather low-rent surroundings. Don’t be put off. Inexpensive.
Vicki’s Eatery (575-388-5430), 315 N. Texas, Silver City. Open Mon.–Sun., B, L. Perfect little café with super omelets, just the place to chow down, conveniently located in an historic brick building in the heart of town. Stylish, spacious, light, with homey food, good value. A local favorite. Inexpensive.
Selective Shopping
Gila Hike & Bike (575-388-3222), 103 E. College, Silver City. This is the place to come when preparing a bike trip of any kind, to get equipment, service, maps, and rentals.
Seedboat Gallery (575-534-1136), 214 W. Yankie Street, Silver City. Ever walk into a place and feel like you could take home anything and be happy? The guiding hand of exquisite sophisticated taste is apparent when you walk in the door. Art off and on the wall, jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics. (As of this writing, the gallery is for sale.)
Silver City Trading Company’s Antiques Mall (575-388-8989), 205 W. Broadway. The largest collection of vintage vinyl you’ll find outside of a major metropolitan area, plus western memorabilia, jewelry, furniture, textiles. Easy to get lost. You may not land on the Antiques Road Show after a visit here, but you’ll feel like you could!
Southwest Women’s Fiber Arts Collective/Common Thread (575-538-5733), 107 Broadway, Silver City. This grassroots cottage industry markets the work of fiber artists in the rural Southwest. On the Fiber Arts Trail.
Yankie Street Artist Studios (575-538-3333), 103 W. Yankie, Silver City. Various local artists display their pottery and paintings here.
Special Events.
March: Rockhound Roundup (575-544-9019), Southwestern New Mexico Fairgrounds, 4750 Raymond Reed Boulevard, Deming. Second weekend.
May: Tour of the Gila Bike Race (575-590-2612), 103 E. College, Silver City, first week. This event is billed as America’s most popular five-day stage race. Southern New Mexico Wine Festival (575-522-1232), Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Live entertainment and sampling of New Mexico wines. Last weekend: Silver City Blues Festival (575-538-2505).
July: Magdalena Old Timers’ Reunion, weekend after Fourth of July. Cattle drive, parade, rodeo, barbecue, fiddlers’ contest, and a good time is had by all (575-854-3310).
August: Great American Deming Duck Race (575-567-1469), 202 S. Diamond, Deming. Fourth weekend. Has it come to this? It sure has. Silver City Clay Festival (575-538-2505).
September: Hatch Valley Chile Festival (www.hatchchilefest.com/events.php) Labor Day Weekend, despite its popularity and longevity, retains its down-home authenticity with food and craft booths, live music, and, of course, lots of freshly roasted chile to sample and buy. Pickamania (575-895-5652), Black Range Lodge, Kingston.
November: Festival of the Cranes (575-835-2077; www.festivalofthecranes.com), Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, mid-November. Workshops, tours, special birding events. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) (calaveracoalition@q.com), Mesilla Plaza, Mesilla. First weekend. Following the Mexican custom of building altars and feasting on the graves of departed family members, Mesilla Plaza is now filled with altars and craft booths at this time, and the custom has been revived here during the past 10 years to include a procession to the cemetery.
Renaissance Artsfaire (575-523-6403), Young Park, Las Cruces. Second weekend. Joust on, all ye lords and ladies, knights and maidens, in costume, please.
December: Tamal y Mas Fiesta (scgreenchamber@gmail.com), Silver City. Most towns and many state parks and monuments have luminaria tours during the month. Please check individual listings.