Travel: Cool, scenic Silver City

For travelers who love the cool mountain air and scenic wilderness, Silver City is located on the Western side of the state and offers some spectacular opportunities for photography and adventures.

In order to take advantage of the mountain scenery, drive to Carrizozo, then continue west to Interstate-25 where a left turn heading south will bring you to the exit for Hillsboro on NM-152.

Courtesy photo: Scott Terry

Part of the Tour of the Gila Race takes place on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway, a 93-mile route around Silver City.

This route will lead you to the foothills of the Black Range and a winding road to the top where speed is not recommended due to the many S curves, but the slow pace makes for a more enjoyable trip.

Along the route are different camping areas for those with a wish to spend time closer to nature. Total time to reach Silver City from Clovis is about seven hours, so an overnight stay is recommended.

Once you arrive in Silver City you will discover a community rich in heritage and a place where visitors can find all the outdoors an adventurist can wish for.

Within the city limits, visitors can check out the Silver City Museum that allows visitors to look back in time to the early mining days through exhibits carefully arranged to portray the early days. Also, Silver City is the home to Western New Mexico University.

Visitors can then venture out to the Continental Divide Trail, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, and the 3.3 million-acre Gila National Forest.

If the visitor plans accordingly, there are full moon hikes along the cliff dwellings.

Day passes cost $10 for families and $5 for individuals. Children 15 and under are free.

Close by are hot springs named Lightfeather and Jordan that are within a short hiking distance to the visitor center.

The Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway offers a 93 mile route around the city offering a photographer’s wish list of scenery including a stop at the Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House. Part of the Byway is included in the Tour of the Gila Race where mountain bikers gather every year to race the part known locally as the Inner Loop.

Silver City also boasts the Continental Divide Trail Loop for mountain bikers wanting to experience a myriad of views as they pedal their way through town and the Pinos Altos range.

Every mountain community can boast of its own unique character and Silver City harks back to a time of copper mines and then later the discovery of silver.

“Salt of the Earth,” a movie depicting Mexican-American mine workers, was shot nearby in 1954, but due to its being branded “Communist” it was not shown in the United States until later.

Silver City is definitely worth the extra time necessary to travel there and visitors can be assured of an incredible weekend of exploration and scenic wonder.