Travel Living in Silver City ~ Cheryl Yale-Bruedigam

Silver City is a hidden gem in the dusty southwest corner of New Mexico, fifty miles north of I-10 and situated just near the Continental Divide, and is the gateway to the Gila National Forest. At an elevation just under six thousand feet, its high desert mountain terrain has cool summer nights but fairly mild winters in comparison to other mountain towns. Nowhere else does it smell quite so good after a short, fresh, mountain rain.

Deciding to return to college as an adult, I wanted to do so in a small mountain town and New Mexico was at the top of my list. We had been “travel living” in Missouri and I was ready for some sunshine and the bright blue skies of the desert southwest. Campus housing was available at Western New Mexico University so I packed up my family and off we went, to somewhere most people had never even heard of; Silver City.

We arrived in January in our Volkswagen Van and camped in it the night before check in and that was one cold night! But morning revealed that coveted sunshine, an incredible mountain view, the largest ravens likely ever to be seen and a beautiful, quaint college campus in a town of ten thousand people, and what a mix of people! Hikers, bikers (both motorcycles and mountain bikes), ranchers, environmentalists, college professors and students, miners, Native Americans and Hispanics, gringos, artists, new-agers, transients, and a few Mormons, made for quite a melting pot. I can honestly say that we truly fell in love with Silver City, it’s environ and its inhabitants.

Fortunately, the time I had spent in Eugene, Oregon, coupled with the time I spent in Albuquerque, gave me enough of a prep-course to be able to understand a place like Silver City, alternatively speaking. I had already lived a lot of lives at this point but none were anything like what I was to experience in this magical town. We made more friends in Silver City than in our adults lives altogether and I may have learned and experienced more there than anywhere else.

Miller Library ~ WNMU (Western New Mexico University)

The college experience there was one of both educational and personal growth. My professors there were the best I ever had. Creative opportunities were endless both on campus and within the town itself. Plays, art shows, concerts and festivals were abundant and there was almost always something unique going on or to participate in. The blues festival, jazz festival, Tour of the Gila bike road race and the Christmas parade are just a few of the annual events that contribute to the many avenues of enjoyment in Silver City.

In season Saturday mornings held the excitement of the Farmers Market located in the big ditch where during the night of July 21, 1895, a heavy wall of water rushed through the downtown business district, leaving a trail of destruction. A ditch 55 feet lower than the original street level was created in what was once known as Main Street. Businesses on Main Street began using their back doors on Bullard Street as main entrances and eventually, were permanently used as the new front entrances. The ditch is now known as Big Ditch Park, lush and green, an oasis in this high desert mountain town. It is pleasant for walks, sitting peacefully with nature or photographing its beauty. An array of hometown produce and artsy gifts or everyday items lined the tabletops of venders at the Farmers Market. Fresh herbs, homemade soaps, luscious fruits and vegetables were always a treat.

The downtown area just west of the ditch is the city’s main draw. Old town buildings dating from its mining hay-day line the streets housing shops with local-cool and artsy finds, artists’ galleries, specialty stores, eateries and bakery, vegetarian cuisine and cozy tea shops. Transients are scattered about sporting backpacks and friendly dogs. Locals laze and converse at the Javalina Coffee House, one of the town’s most popular spots discussing anything from the area’s geology to art or gardening. Silver City is on mañana (tomorrow) time so don’t get in a hurry and don’t expect anyone there to be in a hurry either.

The Silver City Museum offers a nice tour and a wealth of information on the area’s history including some of its infamous characters like Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Cochise, and Silver City Millie (Mildred Clark Cusey), a highly successful bordello businesswoman. The popular and controversial 1953 movie, Salt of the Earth was filmed just out of Silver City in a nearby mining area. The WNMU Museum contains a permanent one-of-a-kind Mimbres pottery exhibit in the university’s historic Fleming Hall. The nearby open-pit copper mines, Chico and Tyrone, are some of the world’s largest and make for a noteworthy stop and photos.

Just northeast of Silver City is the rustic little community of Pinos Altos (tall pines), a once flourishing gold-mining town, but now a lovely community with a few flairs for the tourists including its old opera house-turned restaurant and saloon, The Buckhorn.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Just forty-four miles due north of Silver City, up highway 15, through the Gila National Forest, the nation’s first wilderness area, are the *Gila Cliff Dwellings. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse into the homes and lives of the Mogollon people who lived in the area over 700 years ago. Allow a full day up to the dwelling as it is a two hour drive each way and you will want plenty of walk and picnic time one there, though it only takes about a half hour to walk to the trailhead. There are several popular hot springs in the area. The closest, Lightfeather, is a twenty minute walk from the Visitor Center. The most popular is Jordan, a 6 or 8 mile hike from the Visitor Center, depending upon the trailhead used. The Gila Visitor Center offers many unique events, lectures, and outings for children and adults.

A popular area of interest near Silver City is the City of Rocks State Park, an area of red rock formations created by volcanic eruptions long ago. People can enjoy climbing the rocks, picnicking, and camping. The City of Rocks is located off NM 61. Another is the Kneeling Nun, a natural rock formation located about 20 miles to the east of Silver City along NM 152. Local mining operations have encroached upon the nun with each passing year and locals have strong beliefs regarding her sacrilege and history.

The Catwalk ~ photo by Light Benders Photography

The Catwalk, near Glenwood, is a trail enclosed by a metal walkway that suspends 25 feet above the Whitewater Canyon hugging the canyon walls. It follows waterpipe routes built by miners in 1893. When the pipes needed repair, the miners walked on them. Visitors can explore the walkway and trail, picnic and enjoy the river. It is located 70 miles (110 km) north of Silver City on U.S. Route 180 and makes for a full day’s outing.

Many outlaws were known to have hidden out in this back-country hideaway.

There is so much to see and experience in this remote region of New Mexico. My “travel living” in Silver City was the most enjoyable time of my life. Its isolation and creative and natural environment allowed me to fully flourish as a human being, expressing myself through the many arts while hiking and exploring all its wondrous grandeur. I left Silver City as a new person, feeling alive and wholly integrated.

*The Gila Cliff Dwellings is anticipated to be temporarily closed from October 31 through early December, 2011. Guided tours of the TJ Site at the monument will be offered during the closure.