March 2008 ...........
Pinos Altos : On H-16 between Silver City and the Gila National Monument. In May 1860 gold was discovered in the area and a town was settled. Within a few months there was a population of 604. Numerous attacks by Apaches was an ongoing problem and just prior to the civil war the military troops were withdrawn from the area. It was not until 1866 when a new fort was built was the town able to flourish. Today it has a few old buildings, some houses and the Buckhorn Saloon, which has a great old bar and serves food. The food is pretty pricey and we didn't think it was worth it, however the atmosphere was great
March 2008 ...........
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument : The cliff dwellings were inhabited by the Mogollon people over 700 years ago. They are surrounded by the Gila National Wilderness, the nation's first wilderness area. The dwellings are 44 miles from Silver City, however the drive time is at least two hours due to the twisting and winding mountain terrain (a national scenic bi-way). If you are driving a vehicle over 20 feet you must take State Highway 35, it's 25 miles longer, but easier to travel. One can still climb around on, and walk through, the cliff dwellings and there are volunteers to tell you about the area. It's a one mile round trip hike, and a fairly steep climb to get there, but worth the effort. The black you see on the ceilings is from smoke from their fires.
March 2008 ...........
City of Rocks State Park: The park was established in 1952 and encompasses a one-square-mile area in the Chihuahuan desert region of New Mexico, not far from Silver City. It was formed by a volcano about 34.9 million years ago and is a group of large sculptured rock columns, rising as high as 40 feet and separated by paths resembling city streets. The erosion over millions of years slowly formed the sculptured columns seen today. There is a visitor center and campground, however we got there at sunset and didn't get to go into the center. We just made a quick drive through, as it was the end of a very long day .There are hiking trails, but when we were in the area there was a problem with rabid skunks so we didn't hike.
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