Silver City is adjacent to the Gila Wilderness, 3.3 million acres to explore and the first designated wilderness area in the United States. If you love to hike, fish, camp, bird watch, sit on a rock and watch the skies, this is your place.
And closer to town there are great hikes and mountain biking, on the Continental Divide Trail and the Boston Hill trail system. It’s the perfect weekend getaway for social distancing while reconnecting with nature.
History abounds in the region. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a must-see to learn about homes and lives of the people of the Mogollon culture who lived there from the1280’s through the early 1300’s. Containing 533 acres, the monument was established on November 16, 1907. The dwellings are located 44 miles north of Silver City, New Mexico, on Highway 15. Surrounded by the Gila National Forest, the Gila Cliff Dwellings NationalMonument lies at the edge of the Gila Wilderness. This unique area in southwestern New Mexico offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of Indians who lived here from the 100’s to1300.
There also is Ft. Bayard that played an integral role in protecting settlers and miners in the Los Pinos and Silver City mining districts. Copper, silver, and gold mining spurred economic development of this region of southwestern New Mexico. Soldiers from the fort battled many of the most famous Apache war leaders, including Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo.
Today, the fort maintains many historic buildings and monuments, including the life-sized monument to the Buffalo Soldiers stationed here. Take a self-guided tour year-round, or a guided tour on Saturdays during the Spring to Fall months. Fort Bayard also hosts an annual historic re-enactment of fort life in the 1800’s during the annual Fort Bayard Days.
Silver City’s historic downtown has unique hotels and short-term rentals available for a weekend stay or longer. Many people are choosing to continue working remotely from the beauty of Silver City. Downtown is home to dozens of unique and one-of-a-kind galleries and shops and great people watching in the Town’s three historic residential districts. You’ll also find murals, theaters, and restaurants. Nearly every weekend, there is something going on–live music, theatrical performances, and special events. In addition, the Historic District includes the “Big Ditch” now a popular downtown park and one of the entrances to Silver City’s many greenways. Start your visit at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center, 201 N. Hudson Street, and you’ll soon see that there is so much to see and do in Silver City that you may want to stay an extra day!
For a fun drive, consider The Trail of the Mountain Spirits beckons. Go where the spirits of miners, homesteaders, Indians, Spanish explorers, and mountain men have left their marks. Cross the Continental Divide, experience the wild Gila River, walk amongst the ruins of ancients to sense life before history, and hear the sounds of solitude.
For more information, go to VisitSilverCity.org