NEW MEXICO

26 Jim Bradford Trail
Mimbres, NM 88049
Enormous lot with plenty of spaces
Free
No snacks anywhere in the canyon
No pets but they do have complimentary kennels
No touching but you'll see people hanging off the structures anyway
Very easy hike
Very few people because of remote location

I’d never heard of the Gila forest before, surprisingly because if you’ve ever looked at a map of New Mexico, you’ll see a big green blotch on the left above Las Cruces. I stumbled upon it by looking at the, you guessed it, map. As I was planning my maiden voyage, I was looking for interesting things to do to justify driving all the way to White Sands for a photo op. But once I dove into Gila, I was really intrigued with the catwalk, the Cosmic Campground, and, of course, the cliff dwellings. Then life happened, my truck broke down, and I almost bee lined for Santa Fe, but not before I met a local who turned me onto all the best shit in the area to do, and guess what, Gila was on it.

What Are The Cliff Dwellings?

These caves are naturally occurring formations from millions of years ago, and while it’s believed that a group of nomads used the caves for shelter from time to time for thousands of years, the Mogollon settled there in the 1200’s. Only lasting about 30 years before moving on, they left behind their makeshift city and to this day the intricate rooms and walls still stand. It is surmised that the short period of time the Mogollon lived there is directly related to a great drought that lasted form 1270-1300 AD. The caves would have provided ample shade and cool in the summer, heat in the winter, and featured a small creek at the base of the mountain.

After that, any mention of the Mogollon (a name made up for this specific tribe as their “real” name will never be known) disappears. Wherever they came from and wherever they went is a mystery and all that’s left are remnants of their pottery, some petroglyphs, and these dwellings. Pretty eerie huh?

Before You Go

The road to get to the Gila cliff dwellings is a long, steep, one lane road that winds through the forest and over the mountain precipice. It will take you two hours to drive one way. The hike up and through the dwellings took me a little over an hour. If you’re not checking anything out, I’d say this activity comes in just under six hours. That being said, you will only pass one general store on the way as there are no towns or anything off the 15. On the day I went, the store was closed. Pack enough water and food to keep you happy for a full day and night, just in case.

Also, be sure to eat something before you begin the hike. Believe it or not, I was not permitted to cross the bridge until I disposed of my handful of trail mix. My knee jerk reaction, obviously, was that it was mix meant to be enjoyed…on the trail?! Parks department makes you throw out everything in your pack. And I can’t tell you how fucking surprised I was to see a box to the ranger’s left specifically for the disposal of gum. I’m all for respect, conservation, and pack-in-pack-out, but this it too extreme for me.

Getting There

View from top of mountain on the way to Gila Cliff Dwellings, New Mexico

The thing about the Gila cliff dwellings is that there’s no “easy” way to get there, not that the road is rough but damn if it’s not long. I actually ended up staying at an RV park above Silver City in a place called Pinos Altos at the Continental Divide RV Park. Talk about a straight shithole. I may have stayed at worse places but I’d have to dig really deep to think of a place worse than that. Anyhoo, Pinos Altos is 15 miles north of Silver City, and I picked it because you’re that much closer to the cliff dwellings but in hindsight, I absolutely should have stayed in Silver City because the town is adorable, has a decent selection of restaurants and bars, and the RV parks are far superior.

The Gila cliff dwellings are pretty much on a road into the mountains all their own, which makes for a pretty peaceful drive and even less other visitors, which I loved. Take Highway 15 north from Silver City 44 miles. The distance isn’t too far but it could take you upwards of 2 hours to get there as there are a lot of hairpin turns and tons of elevation. Also watch for wildlife. I saw deer everywhere, and it wouldn’t have been hard to hit one if I wasn’t paying attention. The actual dwellings themselves take a left hand turn off the main road about two miles before the road ends at the Visitor’s Center.

The Visitor’s Center

At the end of the road is the Visitor’s Center. This is a great informational stop. Outside they have tons of info not only on the Gila forest but surrounding New Mexico areas. Inside they have a small exhibit on the Mogollan as well as the Chiricahua Apache of the area. There are also some incredibly clean bathrooms to boot.

At the trailhead there is what I thought was another visitor’s cenetr but is actually a bookstore. After I got into it with the ranger about my trail mix, I didn’t go inside so I’ve got no info on that front. However, I do know they also have complimentary kennels at the bookstore as dogs are not allowed on the trail.

The Trail

This is a super easy one mile loop. After the posted ranger frisks you for your snacks, you’ll cross the bridge and begin your trek up the 180 foot incline. I read somewhere that this woman brought hiking poles with her on this hike and I laughed out loud. This hike is a very well maintained dirt path with laid stone steps. In comparison to some other park trails I’ve been on, this one is pretty easy.

Do yourself a favor and don’t unpack your camera until you get to the top. As you make your way up to the dwellings, you’ll see three or four photo op spots when the trail turns. Don’t waste your time. The trees limit visibility quite a bit and the last spot is only decent if you’re traveling with a telephoto lens larger than 250mm.

The Caves

When you get to the top you’ll pass a small alcove before you get to the first of two main caves. The ladders are surprisingly secure and in the second one you can even climb the wall to look into one of the rooms. Just please, for the love of God, don’t touch the walls. I don’t know why this is so hard for people to understand but on the day I went, some chick from Holland was rubbing her grubby palms all over the adobe like she was on Molly and I seriously considered throwing her off the cliff.

In comparison to Bandelier National Monument, there’s a lot less to look at but I think Gila makes up for it in intimacy. There’s way fewer people and you have a lot more access to the structures at Gila. I also felt like the serene hike was preferable to the asphalt walkway at Bandelier (sorry ADA friends). After you go down the stair path leaving the caves, there’s a really nice overlook with benches. I chilled out there for a bit before making the wildly short walk back to the car and my discarded bag of treats.