Ruins and an Alligator

Today our plans included some ancient ruins and a big tree. We were up early this morning because we had plans to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Yesterday on our drive on NM 35 we saw a sign that said it could take up to two hours to reach the park. We had also been told by some friends that the drive takes at least an hour and a half. We started our drive in Silver City and took NM 15 (we didn't see a sign on this road). There is incredible scenery along this drive and there is beauty around every curve (and there are quite a few curves).

View from NM 15

The road winds its way through mountain terrain and is narrow in some areas. You get fantastic views of the valleys below, you pass through pine forests and there are impressive rock formations as you make your way north. New Mexico highway 15 is also part of the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway. As we drove I asked Thomas to pull over and stop so I could take pictures. We also made two stops along the way to find letterboxes and you can read about that part of the trip at Boxing NM 15, Trial of the Mountain Spirits and Big Tree Trail. There is a scenic overlook with a short trail and interpretive signs at Copperas Vista (Senator Clinton P. Anderson Scenic Overlook). We stopped here long enough to read all the signs and take some pictures. Then we continued along the road and made another stop at a pullout with an interpretive sign for Alum Mountain. This spot also has some fantastic views. From this point we weren't too far from the Cliff Dwellings so we didn't make any stops until we reached the Visitor Center.

At the Visitor Center we got information from a woman working there, I collected my National Park Passport Cancellation Stamps and bought a couple of post cards, a patch and a small book about the Cliff Dwellings. Then Thomas and I watched the 15 minute video about the Mogollon Culture and looked at the exhibit of artifacts. Before we left the Visitor Center to head to the trail I asked the woman about their Senior Ranger program. She handed me a photocopied booklet and told me that when I finished it I could give it to any Ranger to get my patch. The trail to get to the Cliff Dwellings is not at the Visitor Center. You have to drive about two miles from the Visitor Center to the trailhead. There is also a small museum at this area.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

When we got to the trailhead we were handed a map and given a short orientation and then we could head out to the dwellings. The trail starts after you cross over a bridge. As we reached the end of the bridge a javelina ran across the trail and down a hill. Then we saw movement off to our left and saw three more javelinas. The trail starts out easy and you cross a few bridges over a creek and then the trail follows along the left side of the creek. This part of the trail is level and easy as you walk along the creek on your right and the cliff wall on your left. Eventually you reach some steps that take you up to the cliff dwellings. Once you reach the top of the steps the dwellings are just a short distance ahead. There are Rangers there that can guide you and answer questions. We had a great guide. Her name was Kess and she was volunteering as part of her college credit. She took us through the dwellings and answered all the questions we had. When we finished walking through the dwellings we headed down the trail back to the trailhead and museum. While on the trail and at the dwellings I filled out some of the Senior Ranger booklet and when I got back to the trailhead I finished it. When that was done Thomas and I walked through the small museum. Before we left the park we returned to the Visitor Center so I could turn in my booklet and get my patch.

After that we drove back down NM 15 to Silver City. In Silver City we went to the historic downtown area and walked around and the got something to eat. Now that we ate and were rested it was time to continue with our day.

Our next stop was past Fort Bayard at the Fort Bayard Administrative Site Trailhead. The goal for this trip was to see the Fort Bayard Big Juniper Tree.

Big Alligator Juniper Tree

This tree is the second largest alligator Juniper Tree. Its diameter is 70.2 in, circumference is 18 feet 4 inches, crown spread is 62 feet, and height is 63 feet. We took the Big Tree Trail and walked between two and two and a half miles to get to the tree. The trail is relatively easy. Along the trail we walked through a gate and crossed over the Wood Haul Trail and passed the intersection for the Sawmill Wagon Trail. During our walk we went through stands of oak and maple trees and saw beautiful meadows full of wildflowers. Actually there were wildflowers all along the trail. We finally reached the Big Tree and it is pretty impressive and worth the hike. We spent a little time hanging out at a picnic table next to the tree. After about 30 minutes we made our way back to the car. I guess we walked around five miles and it was a great way to spend the afternoon.

We returned to Silver City and decided we had earned the right to get ice cream. So we made a quick stop at Dairy Queen and got blizzards to take back to the hotel. Now that we have taken showers we are relaxing and discussing our day. We had a fantastic time at the Gila Cliff Dwellings and enjoyed the Big Tree.

  Silver City – Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – Silver City – Fort Bayard Administrative Site – Silver City 113 miles | 3 hours 52 minutes

A Town of Stone, a Scenic Byway and an Old Mine

We are in Silver City and it is our first day in the Gila Wilderness. We woke up sometime around 7:30am and we got our things together and put them in the car. Then we went back into the hotel for a quick breakfast. Around 8:45am we left the hotel and set out for the day. Our plan was to go to the Visitor Center and then head out to Reserve, Alma, Mogollon and Glenwood for some sightseeing and letterboxing.
At the Visitor Center we talked with the woman working there (who was extremely nice and knowledgeable) about things in the area and we picked up a map and some brochures. When we were getting ready to leave we mentioned we were heading up to the Catwalk and the woman said "No, you aren't!". When we asked why, she told us that they had some bad rains last night and there was too much debris on and around the Catwalk that they closed it for the weekend. This is the second time we made plans to visit the Catwalk and the second time we were deterred. The first time happened years ago and I will forego that long and embarrassing story for now. So with this news we made changes for the day. We decided to start our day at City of Rocks State Park. This is a place we have been wanting to visit but never made the time. Now was the time. There was also a letterbox there which just added to the trip. You can read about our letterboxing adventures at Stones, a Pig, a Byway and a Burro. We arrived at the park and went directly to the Visitor Center and talked with the volunteer there. She gave us a map and some information about the park and also gave us a handout so that we could look for some petroglyphs. You can park at the Visitor Center and walk all around the park or you can drive the loop road and stop at different spots to do some exploring. We chose the latter. We took the loop counterclockwise and immediately encountered one of the more well known rocks - 'Toilet Rock'. I took a few pictures and then we moved along. A short distance ahead we stopped at the Botanical Garden. We took a short walk along a trail that starts here and then returned to the car. We continued our drive along the loop and made some stops along the way to look at the formations and to look for the petroglyphs. We only found two of the petroglyphs, the others we had trouble following the directions. There are picnic tables scattered throughout the rocks and trails that you can walk. The formations are incredible and we enjoyed walking around them. One of the other things we noticed was an abundance of wildflowers. I couldn't believe how many wildflowers we saw at this time of year. We spent about two hours here and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Now it was time to continue on with our day.

City of Rocks is off of NM 61 on City of Rocks Road. We had come from the west to get to the park and when we left we headed east on NM 61 to the junction with NM 152. We turned left on NM 152 and only drove a short distance before turning right onto NM 35. At this time we were on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway. About a quarter of a mile along NM 35 we saw a restaurant and decided to get a late lunch as it was a little after 2:00pm. We ate at La Tienda del Sol. This place is a restaurant, store and gas station. It is located between San Lorenzo and Mimbres and it is pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. We both had burgers. They were delicious and the service was wonderful. Once we had our fill we began our drive on NM 35. We had two goals - plant a letterbox and find a letterbox. The drive is along a narrow, two lane, blacktop and curvy road. The scenery is beautiful and the drive relaxing and we had the good fortune of having no traffic. There are few places where you can pull off and look at the views. There are also side roads that you can explore. We also noticed trail heads up and down the road. When we got to mile marker 16 we encountered a nice Trail of the Mountain Spirits Welcome Sign and I planted my letterbox near this sign.

We continued our drive, turned into a picnic area and ended up at Lake Roberts where we took a short walk along the lake before returning to the car. After our walk we looked for another letterbox before continuing our drive. We finished the drive on NM 35 to NM 15 and on to Silver City.

Tyrone Mine Reclamation

We continued south of Silver City on NM 90 and passed the town of Tyrone. We were headed for a letterbox. We turned onto Tyrone Thompson Road and immediately on the left was an overlook. We stopped here and and read a little about the copper mining in the area and the reclamation process. From the overlook you were looking at an area that had been reclaimed so it was quite an education. After this we went in search of the letterbox and then headed back to Silver City. Since we had a late lunch we weren't really hungry for dinner but we felt we needed to eat something or we would probably wake up in the middle of the night with cravings. We stopped and shared a sandwich, which was just enough to hold us until morning. We then returned to the hotel and took showers. We are now relaxing and we plan on getting a good night's sleep for our adventure tomorrow.

 

Silver City – City of Rocks State Park – Mimbres – Lake Roberts – Silver City – Burro Mountain Road – Silver City
145 miles | 3 hours 46 minutes