Silver City, New Mexico

Silver City is a historic town in southwest New Mexico on the edge of the Gila National Forest. Established in 1870 when silver was discovered in the area, Silver City thrives today, maintaining its historic roots to the Apaches, Billy the Kid and the mining industry.

Like most places we’ve been to in New Mexico, it takes a little bit to get to know it, and Silver City is no different. On the surface some of these places seem a little rough around the edges, but once you get past that you start to recognize the charm and genuinely friendly people that separates places like Silver City from other towns.

In order to fully appreciate the area a great first stop is the Silver City Museum. Not only is it a perfect place to learn about, and gain an appreciation for the history in the area, the museum itself is part of that history. A walk up the stairs to the crows nest provides a view that is like taking a step back in time.

The Silver City historical district consist of several blocks centered around Bullard Street. There are tons of local shops and restaurants along the way. We found it to be a great display of local goods and fare rather than a touristy kind of place. The original Main Street is now the Big Ditch, a drainage area and park formed when mother nature devastated the area through a series of floods starting back in 1895. Check out local shops such as Cholla Cholla where a local artist makes amazing artifacts out of wood slabs from Alligator Juniper trees.

Just outside of town is the Santa Rita Copper Mine, one of the oldest mines in North America and currently still in operation. It all started back in 1909 with a consortium of mining engineers and geologists who form the Chino Copper Company. It’s an amazing operation that can be viewed from a roadside information center and viewing area. Those rock haulers they use are something special!

Silver City is central to several great sites within an hour or so away. It will take several days to cover the area because things are pretty spread out, but the scenic drives are half the adventure. Let’s highlight four really cool (ok, maybe three really cool and one so, so) places we visited in the area.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

About an hour and a half drive north of Silver City via the Trail of the Mountains Scenic Byway, where you will pass through the Continental Divide, are the amazing Gila Cliff Dwellings. What separates these cliff dwellings from others we’ve seen is the shear size of them and the fact that you can climb up into the cliffs and along the rooms. The area is protected by the National Park system and is accessible through a short 1 mile hike. The Mogollon people used these cliffs for their homestead from the late 1200’s to around 1300 before moving on. This is an awesome day trip!

TIP: Check the weather conditions before you embark on this journey. You will gain considerable altitude along the way and can run into snow and poor road conditions.

Catwalk Recreation Area

A series of 250 feet of metal causeway, clinging to the sheer cliffs of the Whitewater Canyon, takes you on journey like no other. The Canyon is absolutely gorgeous, towering 250 feet and as narrow as only 20 feet wide in some places. The original wooden structure was used to support a pipeline for a local gold and silver mill. When no longer needed, it was designated a National Recreation Trail. A flood in 2013 damaged the wooden structure and this is when the metal causeway was built. We love when something with an original historical purpose is preserved to keep the history alive.

TIP: Its best to leave the pups behind on this adventure because the metal structure can be difficult for dogs to walk on.

Mogollon Ghost Town & Graveyard

If you’re into a unique adventure drive a little further out from the Catwalk (or a short flight if you’re a crow) to the very cool ghost town of Mogollon. In the 1800’s this was a prosperous mining town and today it’s been well preserved and actually is home to a handful of residents, which is what makes it so unique. In this ghost town you step back in time and the people are still there! At the end of town is a gravel road to the left which takes you to the old cemetery. A walk around the cemetery will give you an even better feel of the tough life these folks lived back in the day. A little eerie? Yes, but definitely a “10” on the cool scale.

TIP: Consider combining Mogollon with a trip to the Catwalk since it’s in the same general vicinity.

City of Rocks

Much closer in to Silver City is this fun state park with unusual volcanic rock formations. This “city” of rocks encumpasses large sculptered rock columns, or pinnacles, rising up as high as 40 feet over a one square mile area. It’s especially interesting considering the rocks were formed by a volcanic eruption nearly 35 million years ago. Although different rocks and formed in a completely different way, this reminded us of Fantasy Canyon in Utah. As with Fantasy Canyon, the dogs loved adventuring and climbing on the rocks. I wouldn’t put this in the spectacular category, but it does make for a fun family outing.

A great destination wouldn’t be complete without discovering some special local fare, and Silver City did not disappoint. Three of our favorites and one miss include:

Tranquil Buzz Coffee Shop

This isn’t just any coffee shop, rather the heart and sole of Silver City. An old downtown building was renovated into this coffee house and social venue. Eclectic, a little quirky and a whole lot of personality encompass this place. Get a cup of joe and sit outside in the courtyard and get to know some of the locals or hang out inside and indulge in some of the local entertainment. Rinse and repeat.

Jalisco Cafe

This local Mexican spot was a great surprise. We are much more used to Tex-Mex so when the waiter asked if I wanted a fried egg on my chicken enchiladas, I was a little taken back. Well, as the old saying goes… when in Rome… so I gave it a try. Wow, this was more like a delectable chicken and dumplings rolled in a tortilla. Get out of your Tex-Mex comfort zone and try this place!

Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House

About 15 minutes north of Silver City is the sleepy little town of Pinos Altos and the home of the popular Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House. When you pull up in front (when you find it) you’ll be tempted to just turn around, especially if it’s dark. It’s an old wooden building with no lights or visible signage. When I opened the door, I expected to see a rough biker bar or something. Instead, we were greeted by a pleasant hostess inside this gorgeous restaurant and bar with its exquisite wood decor. After your dinner, mosey into the bar for a nightcap and be sure to check out the old opera house, conjoined with the restaurant.

Corner Kitchen

Back in Silver City on the end of the main drag is the Corner Kitchen, serving homestyle breakfast and lunches. We planed to check it out based on recommendations from some friends but unfortunately didn’t make it. If you get there, drop us a note in the comments and let us know what you think.

Overall, Silver City was a little different from what we had expected but not in a bad way. I suspect if we stayed longer we would have appreciated it even more, although we covered a lot in eight days. This makes for a great stop when traveling to/from the West. Be sure to check out all of our pictures from the area.