Planes & Trains & Autos

Hey Guys!

During our stay in Las Cruces, we spent the day exploring the Organ Mountains, White Sands National Park, Alamogordo, and the mountain town of Cloudcroft.

Before heading out for the day, we started our morning with those yummy pastries we had picked up from the coffee shop in Silver City the day before.

Quick Overview

• Route: Las Cruces → Organ Mountains → White Sands National Park→Alamogordo → Cloudcroft → Las Cruces
• Drive time (without stops): 3.5 hrs roundtrip
• Best for: Scenic driving, hiking, photography, food stops
• Highlights: Dripping Springs Natural Area, White Sands National Park, Alamogordo, Cloudcroft

1st Stop: The Organ Mountains

The drive to our first stop would take approx. 30 mins from our AirBnb.

Our first stop of the day would be the Organ Mountains, one of the most striking sights near Las Cruces.

Their jagged peaks rise dramatically out of the desert, creating a rugged backdrop that feels completely different from the flatter landscape around the city.

The mountains get their name because the sharp, vertical rock formations are said to resemble the pipes of an organ.

Even if you don’t have time for a long hike, the area is worth visiting for the views alone!

The mix of rugged mountains, desert plants, and wide open skies made this a beautiful start to our day!

We stopped several times along the road to take pictures!

2nd Stop: Dripping Springs Natural Area in the Organ Mountains

Our first real stop of the day was Dripping Springs Natural Area in the Organ Mountains.

Tips for hiking this trail:

• Go early – the trail is not shaded and it gets hot quickly in the warmer months
• Bring plenty of water – the hike isn’t difficult but it’s a desert hike & it gets very hot
• Wear comfortable shoes – parts of the trail are gravel and uneven
• Wear sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
• Watch for wildlife – the area is known for birds, lizards, tarantulas & rattlesnakes!
• Stop by the visitor center if it’s open
• Be prepared to pay a $5 day use fee per vehicle
• Pets are not allowed on portions of the trail

There are a few trails that you can hike in this area.

Tip: Click here to see a map of this area

The trail to Dripping Springs is only 2 miles roundtrip and is very flat.

However, the beginning of the trail had large gravel rocks that were a bit difficult to walk on!

This is definitely a section where you’ll want to wear good shoes, because it would be easy to roll or sprain an ankle on the loose gravel!

This trail is a great way to experience the desert landscape up close, with views of the rugged Organ Mountains, cacti, yucca, and wide open New Mexico scenery.

The views on this short hike are absolutely incredible!

I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the gorgeous scenery!

After a few minutes of walking, we had our first “wildlife” encounter….actually, it was an insect encounter and it was huge! Yuck!

We stopped along the trail several times to take pictures in front of the majestic mountain range!

We spotted these rocks all along the trail.

After about 15 mins of walking, we arrived to the first stop on the trail…

One of the things that makes Dripping Springs so interesting is that it’s not just a pretty desert hike…there are also historic ruins along the trail, including remains from an old resort and sanatorium area.

The first wooden buildings that you will come to are the remains of an old Livery area that was built sometime in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.

These buildings were once part of the support area for the historic resort that I will talk about later in this post.

This area once had a general store, grain shed, and other buildings that supported the resort.

The weathered wood, tall grasses, and the Organ Mountains rising behind them, was such a pretty and unexpected first glimpse of the history along the trail.

It was so cool to see some of the remains that still existed from over 100 yrs ago!

Obviously, some of the buildings have been restored.

After checking out the buildings, we continued our walk along the trail.

We spotted several different types of flowers blooming.

There is really no way to describe the beauty of this trail….the views are simply breathtaking!

In this picture, you can see the remains of an old stone fence.

We stopped for a quick picture in front of this huge yucca plant!

You will see lots of cacti and yucca plants along this trail.

As we continued down the trail, the mountains seemed to rise higher and higher in front of us making the views even more dramatic the farther we walked!

We came to a split in the trail ….one way pointed to the Dripping Springs and the Boyd Sanatorium while the other way pointed to the Van Patten Mountain Camp.

We decided to take the trail to the Dripping Springs and then circle back and check out the Van Patten Mountain Camp.

After a few minutes, we arrived to the Dripping Springs.

The Dripping Springs is a small spring/waterfall area tucked into the canyon above the historic ruins.

The spring was one of the reasons this area became such a popular retreat.

This water, along with the cooler canyon air and mountain scenery, helped make this area a popular retreat in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

The spring itself is natural however, the reservoir was built by Eugene Van Patten in 1892 to impound and supply water to the nearby Dripping Springs Hotel.

Today, the spring may only be a trickle depending on the season, but it still adds to the history and beauty of the trail.

And the views are incredible ….I can see why people would want to come here!

We spotted a Red-naped Sapsucker drinking water from the springs….so cool!

After our stop at the springs, we continued our walk along the trail.

We came to the ruins of Boyd’s Sanatorium. Boyd’s Sanatorium was a health resort built in the early 1900’s  by Dr. Nathan Boyd in 1904.

People came here hoping the fresh, dry mountain air would help with illnesses like tuberculosis.

These stone ruins are part of the kitchen/dining hall area that was built into the canyon slope near the springs.

Guests would stay in nearby cottages or tents while meals were provided through an agreement with Eugene Van Patten, who operated the nearby mountain resort.

Boyd paid Van Patten $25 a year in rent, and Van Patten agreed to feed Boyd’s guests for $11 per week per adult, with children being half that cost.

Near the sanatorium, stood the remains of the Van Patten’s Mountain Camp. The camp was built before the sanatorium.

Van Patten’s Mountain Camp began as a homestead around 1892 and had opened as an 8 room resort hotel by 1895.

By 1906, it had grown into a larger mountain resort with 32 rooms and a dining room used for weddings and dances.

The ruins made for some incredible pictures especially with the weathered stone walls, tall grasses, and the rugged Organ Mountains towering behind them!

We couldn’t resist taking our pictures in front of the ruins!

I spotted this J engraved on one of the stones.

Nearby, we also spotted a small wooden structure tucked into the hillside above the trail.

This appeared to be one of the old cottages or cabins connected to Boyd’s Sanatorium, where patients once stayed while visiting the health resort.

So, we decided to go check it out.

We also passed this small wooden structure along the way….its exact purpose wasn’t clear.

A nearby sign stated that this building served as a kitchen and dining hall.

Behind this building was the homestead of Dr. Boyd and his family.

This looked like a dream location for a house! I would love to live here. 😉

Near the house were the remains of the old water storage tank for the Dripping Springs resort area.

Views near the house

After checking out all of the historic ruins, we headed back to our car.

Read reviews for this area here

Views along the way

After arriving back to our car, we continued our drive to our next stop.

Views of the Organ Mountains along the way.

3rd Stop: White Sands National Park

After leaving Dripping Springs and heading to White Sands National Park, you will be driving through an area closely tied to White Sands Missile Range.

Tip: The drive from Dripping Springs will take about 1 hr

The range sits between Las Cruces and Alamogordo and is one the most important military testing areas in the country.

The US Army describes it as the Birthplace of America’s Missile and Space Activity, and says it covers about 3,200 square miles and supports thousands of tests each year.

That is why you will see lots of military and space related signs and sights along this route.

Tip: Nearby is the White Sands Missile Range Museum & the New Mexico Museum of Space History

This area is Organ, NM.

Along the drive, we spotted what looked like an observatory dome on a hill…this area is closely tied to astronomy and space research.

We started seeing white sand in the distance as we got closer to White Sands National Park.

Unfortunately, once we arrived at the park, we realized the park was closed due to the government shutdown.

This was such a disappointing moment because White Sands was one of the places we were most excited to visit.

Tip: Click here to see a map of the park

However, we noticed cars that were parked alongside the road and we could see people standing on the dunes so we decided to go park and climb the fence like everyone else was doing!

We refused to allow this shutdown to ruin our plans and it appeared that no one was stopping anyone from doing this so we went through the fence like everyone else and made the best of what we could see!

Wow, was this place amazing!

The sand was white as snow!

White Sands National Park is famous for its bright gypsum dunes, which stretch across the Tularosa Basin.

The park protects part of the largest gypsum dunefileld in the world, creating a landscape that looks almost like snow in the middle of the desert!

The dunes are formed from gypsum crystals that break down into sand and are shaped by wind over time.

White Sands was first protected as a national monument in 1933 and didn’t become a national park until 2019.

The mountains you see around the park are the San Andres Mountains to the west and the Sacramento Mountains to the east and they made for a beautiful backdrop for pictures!

Of course, we had to take 897 pictures of the dunes! 😉

One of the most interesting things about the park is that plants actually grow right out of the dunes.

Some of the most common plants include the soaptree yucca, skunkbush sumac, hoary rosemary mint, and Rio Grande cottonwood.

Tip: The park is home to coyotes, foxes, bobcats, badgers, gophers, lizards, snakes, turtles, birds and more!

Walking around the dunes

The shapes in the sand were so cool!

Tip: Wear sunglasses when you visit as it can be very bright!

My hubby thinking he could fly! 😉

He decided to write our names in the sand to commemorate our visit. 🙂

I spotted these tiny mushrooms growing in the sand!

A few more shots

Click here to read reviews for this park

After leaving here, we headed to our next stop.

4th Stop: Alamogordo

Alamogordo is a small city tucked between the Sacramento Mountains and the vast gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park.

It makes a great base for exploring southern New Mexico, with easy access to scenic drives, mountain views, pistachio farms, space history, and one of the most unique landscapes in the Southwest.

Our first stop in Alamogordo was called, Pistachio Land....it was only a 25 minute drive from the White Sands National Park Visitor center.

Pistachio Land is one of Alamogordo’s most fun roadside stops and is best known as the Home of the World’s Largest Pistachio.

The McGinn family started this pistachio farm in 1980, and today the property includes pistachio trees, vineyards, a winery, a country store, farm tours, homemade pistachio ice cream, flavored pistachios, candies, souvenirs, and the famous 30 ft pistachio!

After arriving, we headed straight to the giant pistachio to take our pictures in front of it!

We then headed inside the store to find a souvenir.

So many things to choose from!

After making our purchases, we headed back outside to order some of their yummy homemade pistachio ice cream!

They offered several other flavors as well.

So good!

After our ice cream, we checked out the pistachio trees.

They were hanging full of pistachios!

Read reviews here

After leaving here, we headed to our next stop….Cloudcroft.

On the way to Cloudcroft, we drove through the Lincoln National Forest.

The views were amazing!

We passed the Old Apple Barn but unfortunately it was closed.

5th Stop: Cloudcroft, New Mexico

Just 30 mins from Pistachio Land is the charming mountain village of Cloudcroft.

Cloudcroft village sits in the Sacramento Mountains, surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest and sits at about 8,600 feet in elevation.

After spending time in the desert around Alamogordo and White Sands, the drive up to Cloudcroft feels like a complete change in scenery.

The road climbs from dry desert views into cool pine forest, mountain air, and a quiet little town that feels more like Colorado than southern New Mexico.

Before we arrived to the town of Cloudcroft, we made a stop at a roadside attraction called the Mexican Canyon Trestle.

The trestle is a historic wooden railroad bridge just northwest of of Cloudcroft along U.S. Hwy 82, and it’s one of the most recognizable reminders of the old “Cloud-Climbing Railroad” that once connected Alamogordo with the high Sacramento Mountains.

The trestle was built in 1899 for the Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railway and was part of a steep mountain rail line used for timber access and later passenger travel to Cloudcroft.

The bridge is impressive because it’s still standing more than a century later.

It stretches about 323 feet long and rises roughly 52 feet above the canyon floor.

The railroad line operated from 1899 to 1947, and after it was abandoned, the rails were removed, but the trestle remained.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Read reviews here

Tip: For a closer look of the trestle, you can hike the nearby Trestle Recreation Area

After checking out the trestle, we continued our drive to Cloudcroft which was less than 5 mins away.

Cloudcroft became known as a cool mountain escape from the desert heat, and today it’s a popular stop for scenic drives, hiking, shopping, mountain views, and slower-paced wandering.

The downtown area has small shops, restaurants, and the Burro Street Exchange, while nearby trails and overlooks offer views of the Sacramento Mountains, & Tularosa Basin.

We absolutely loved the little mountain town!

It was so charming, walkable, and had the cutest old Western feel.

The historic looking buildings, wooden storefronts, and small town streets made it feel like we had just stepped back in time!

Tip: There’s lot of wildlife in this area like elk, bear, and mule deer but Cloudcroft is known for their free roaming feral horses

After driving through the town, we decided to do the hike to the historic railroad trestle.

The hike is located in town at the Trestle Recreation Area.

There was no posted entrance fee for this area so it makes a great place to hike and stretch your legs.

The sign we passed led us to believe that this would be a short hike….

If you enjoy birdwatching, this is a great place to visit.

We spotted a stellar’s jay near the trail…..such beautiful birds.

Read reviews here 

After walking for what seemed like miles, we met a couple on the trail that told us the views of the trestle were still over a half mile away….since, it was already getting late, we decided to turn around and head back to our car.

Tip: The hike to view the trestle is approx. 2.2 – 2.6 miles roundtrip.

We then began our drive back to Las Cruces….which would take 1.5 hours.

On the way, as we were driving back through the Lincoln National Forest, we stopped and took a few pictures of the scenery.

The views were so beautiful!

We spotted a sign that talked about the Fresnal Shelter.…a prehistoric campsite.

Since the rock shelter is dry, a considerable number of perishable artifacts remained in tact for thousands of years.

Some of the items recovered by archeologists during the excavation of the site include more than 400. sandals, 30 basket fragments, pieces of hide, twine, darts, feathers, bone and more.

Some of the earliest known corn remains were also recovered at the Fresnal Shelter…the corn dated back to around 1500 B.C.

Continuing our drive

After arriving back to Alamogordo, we spotted a 2nd McGinn’s Pistachio Country store and decided to stop after we saw the huge Alamogordo sign…..we couldn’t pass having our pictures made in front of it! 😉

Tip: When driving through this area you will go through a military checkpoint at the Holloman Air Force Base.

6th Stop: Back at White Sands National Park

We also drove past the White Sands National Park visitor center and decided to make one more quick stop at White Sands National Park!

We were hoping to catch some beautiful sunset pictures but we arrived a bit too early.

We still captured some beautiful shots!

And, we couldn’t pass up taking more pictures of us walking through the dunes! 😉

After taking way too many pictures, we continued our drive to Las Cruces.

7th Stop: Back in Las Cruces

Las Cruces is a sunny desert city in southern New Mexico, set in the Mesilla Valley between the Organ Mountains and the Rio Grande.

It’s the second largest city in New Mexico and makes for a great base for exploring the area, with a mix of desert scenery, mountain views, New Mexican food, history, farmers markets, museums, and easy access to outdoor adventures.

The city gets 320 days of sunshine a year, which makes it a popular year round stop for hiking, scenic drives, and road trips through southern New Mexico.

After we arrived back to Las Cruces, we headed to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner…It was called, El Sombrero...it’s been a family owned business since 1956.

The inside of the restaurant was so colorful!

After being seated, we took a few minutes to look over the menu.

We both decided on the fajitas and they were delicious!

Read reviews here

After dinner, we headed back to our AirBnb where we spent the rest of our evening relaxing in the hot tub!

To read more of our New Mexico road trip click on the links below:

Exploring New Mexico – Day 1 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025

Exploring New Mexico – Day 2 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025

Albuquerque to Santa Fe via Turquoise Trail: Best Stops + Travel Guide

Exploring New Mexico – Day 4 – Santa Fe – Oct 2025

Santa Fe to Silver City Road Trip Itinerary (New Mexico Travel Guide)

Hey Guys!

This Santa Fe to Silver City road trip takes you through some of the most unique landscapes in New Mexico, including lakes, hot springs towns, national forest drives, and historic mining areas.

This guide follows the exact route I took and includes the best stops along the way, from Elephant Butte State Park to Silver City.

Contents

• Elephant Butte State Park
• Truth or Consequences
• Where to eat
• Gila National Forest
• Santa Rita Mine
• Silver City – Where to Stay

This post continues our time exploring the beautiful state of New Mexico!

The drive from Santa Fe to Silver City takes approximately 5 hrs.

Our drive took us back through Albuquerque where we spotted tons of hot air balloons in the sky!

The hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque lasts for an entire week — so no matter when you visit, chances are you’ll spot colorful balloons floating across the sky every single day you’re in town!

It’s such an amazing sight to witness!

As we were passing through Belen, NM, we passed hundreds of pecan trees ….this was part of the Four Daughters Pecan Orchard.

We also passed patches on the ground that looked just like snow!

The views on this drive were so beautiful!

Mountains that went on for miles!

After a for a couple of hours, we pulled over at a rest stop to stretch our legs.

We spotted this sign that showed the points of interest in the area.

We also spotted this huge Soaptree yucca tree!

After our quick stop, we continued our drive.

And I continued my photoshoot of the incredible scenery along the way!

Elephant Butte State Park (Lake Views & Swimming in New Mexico)

After about 3 hrs of driving, we arrived to our first stop of the day, Elephant Butte State Park.

I had seen pictures of this place during my research and had to add it to our itinerary but boy were the pictures misleading!

The pictures showed an amazing lake with cool rock formations but when we arrived, there was hardly any water in the lake at all!

The views weren’t bad but I was expecting to see a huge lake!

We actually drove to a boat ramp and there was literally no water at all to be found!!

It was the strangest thing ever!

The park looked well maintained and had picnic tables, RV hookups, etc but I couldn’t figure out what the draw would be for this place!

I later researched it when we got home and read that the lake is actually a man made reservoir on the Rio Grande that was built in the early 1900’s mainly for irrigation, flood control and water supply….not for recreation.

The reservoir depends on rain and snowmelt from Colorado …..the southwest has been in a long term drought and for this reason, the lake can dry up.

Even when there is water, a lot of it is released downstream to farms and communities …especially during irrigation season.

So, do your research if you ever plan on visiting this area or you could be sorely disappointed!

Tip: There is marina located here where you can rent boats, kayaks are more

However, the views were beautiful but I wouldn’t recommend stopping here unless the lake isn’t dried up!

Tip: We had the historic Elephant Butte Dam on the list but decided to skip it. I do wish we would have seen it.

Read reviews here

Truth or Consequences – (Small Historic Town full of Hot Springs)

After leaving here, we continued to our next stop which would be the small town of Truth or Consequences.

Truth or Consequences, known as Hot Springs until 1950, is a small resort town with a year-round population of slightly more than 6,000.

The little town got its big name in 1950 as part of a publicity scheme to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Truth or Consequences, Ralph Edwards’ hugely successful game show on NBC radio.

Once the new name was adopted, Edwards traveled to town annually, celebrity friends in tow, for nearly 50 years to celebrate “Truth or Consequences Fiesta.”

The town is very small with some quirky little shops!

We passed the historic El Cortez Theater.…the theater dates back to the early 1940’s but some sources say it was built around 1933.

I loved all the colorful murals on the sides of some of the buildings!

We passed the popular Giddy Up Cafe — sadly it is now permanently closed.

After checking out the small town, we made our way to the Riverbend Hot Springs.

This was the main reason we were here…..to soak in one of the many hot springs!

This town sits on a natural geothermal system with tons of hot mineral underground.

Historically, there were around 40 bathhouses before WWII,….there are now around 10 main hot spring businesses operating in the small town.

Even Ted Turner has a hotel and bathhouse located here called, the Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa.

The historic hotel was built in 1929 and sits directly on natural geothermal mineral springs with private soaking baths.  It was purchased by Ted Turner in 2013.

I chose Riverbend because it sits right along the Rio Grande….so, instead of feeling like a typical spa, it feels very open and scenic.

You can also book a private tub with views of the Rio Grande and the nearby mountain range and that’s just what I did!

When you arrive, you will check in with the front desk.

If you reserved a bath robe or any extras when you made your reservations, you will be given those at the time you check in.

Tip: You will be asked to leave your car keys with the front desk attendant

After getting checked in, you are taken to an outdoor sitting area where you will wait until your soaking tub is ready.

There were information plaques that talked about the history of the hot springs.

In the seating area, there was a mural along the wall with a phone stand set up perfectly so you could snap your own photo in front of it — such a fun little touch!

Tip: There are showers where you can shower & change before getting into the hot springs….this is encouraged.

After waiting a few minutes, we were taken to our private soaking tub…..just look at this view!!

I decided to book two different soaking tubs to see if there was a difference in the views.

The first tub we soaked in was the Tewa. 

You book in 50 min increments ….so, you can book one tub for more than one session or you can book multiple tubs if you want to try them all out!

The tubs do range in temperature….I think it’s anywhere from 95 degrees to 108! Their website tells you what the temperature of the tub is before you book.

The pools are constructed of concrete, tile and/or stone. Each features an overhead cold shower, misters (in the Summer months), riverside curtains, and 2 chaise loungers.

Booking a private tub means you get a small, secluded soaking pool all to yourself.

The water is pumped directly from the natural geothermal springs beneath the town and stays somewhere between 95-108 degrees….so, it’s warm enough to relax into but keep in mind, you can get dehydrated so make sure to have plenty of water with you!

Each private tub area is designed for privacy — ours had floor to ceiling walls with a curtain to block you from the water. because the water is public and you may just see people floating down the river.

These tubs are also a quiet zone….so, you shouldn’t be hearing anyone talking next to you…and if  you do, you. can press a button and it notifies the front desk that the person beside you is being too loud….I personally loved that idea!!

Of course we had to take 798 pictures of us in and around the hot springs! 😉

It was so much fun! It was actually a highlight of our trip and I would highly recommend it!

Read reviews here

Tip: Riverbend also has RV spaces, hotel rooms, public soaking areas, a gift shop and more

If you get hot during your soak, there’s a bucket of cold water above your head and a mister you can turn on….it definitely comes in handy!!

It was so peaceful and relaxing!

After our time was up, we gathered our things and headed to the next soaking tub….which was literally next to the Tewa….it was called the Apache.

Tip: There is a timer in the room that is counting down your time so it was really nice not having to keep up with it ourselves

This pool was a bit deeper and a bit hotter than the Tewa…

The views were obviously the same since the rooms were right next to each other.

I actually preferred the Tewa but both were nice.

Each room had a phone stand you could use to take pictures so we definitely took advantage of that! 😉

After our time was up, we headed to the front desk to turn in our robes and collect our keys.

Where to eat

We then headed to find something to eat.

We found a place in town called Johnny B’s.

Johnny B’s is one of those classic small-town diners that feels like a staple more than a tourist stop.

It’s a family owned American/Mexican style diner on the main highway through town that serves breakfast all day as well as lunch and dinner.

It’s not fancy at all — more like a roadside comfort food spot where locals and travelers. mix.

Inside, it has that very small town diner feel ….no frills.

We both ordered a burger and it was really good!

After our burger, we decided to get a small cup of ice cream from their cute little ice cream parlor.

So good!

Read reviews here

After our late lunch, we continued our drive to Silver City….which was a little over 2 hrs away.

The views along the way were gorgeous!

Mountains that went on for miles!

The landscapes in New Mexico are so diverse!

As usual, I took way too many pictures!

Driving through Hillsboro

The scenic drive to historic Hillsboro leads you along the Geronimo Trail, into the foothills of the Black Range mountains.

Hillsboro was founded in April,1877, when two prospectors discovered a series of gold deposits on the east side of the Black Range Mountains along Percha Creek. A tent city quickly filled with over 300 miners, store owners, adventuresome women and children.

Today, there are only about 150 people that live here.

A few minutes later, we spotted a historic marker so we pulled over to check it out.

It was the location of the Percha Creek bridge.

The bridge was built in 1927 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The views surrounding the bridge were beautiful!

After this quick stop, we continued our drive.

Views along the way

We started seeing lots of unique rock formations.

Just look at these views!

Gila National Forest (Scenic Drives, Hiking, & Wilderness in New Mexico)

We spotted a sign that said we were entering Gila National Forest.

Gila National Forest covers roughly 3.3 million acres of rugged mountains, high desert, canyons, and forested plateaus in southwestern New Mexico. It was established in the early 1900’s and is one of the largest national forests in the Southwest.

One of the forest’s most important distinctions is that it contains the Gila Wilderness, designated in 1924 as the first officially protected wilderness area on earth!

The Gila Wilderness remains roadless, meaning there are no paved or maintained roads inside the boundaries — only trails, rivers, and backcountry routes.

The forest is defined by dramatic elevation changes, ranging from about 4,000 ft to over 10,000 ft.

On this drive you will see a variety of trees including the Ponderosa pine, juniper and many more!

Tip: The forest is also known for natural hot springs scattered throughout the remote canyons.

This place was absolutely beautiful and felt so remote! We rarely saw another vehicle on this drive!

We pulled over several times to take pictures!

Tip: This place is also known for the Gila Cliff Dwellings which are cliff homes that were built around 1280-1300 CE by the Mogollon people but sadly it was closed due to the government shutdown!! The shutdown really affected our trip!! 🙁

Gila National Forest offered something increasingly rare; a landscape where nature still dominates, and human presence feels secondary…..and I loved that!

As we continued our drive, we came upon a recent crash site which reminded us just how dangerous this place could be if you weren’t paying attention to the road!

Portions of the road had limited visibility and were very curvy so I could see how an accident could easily happen if you aren’t paying close attention.

Continuing our drive

The views were so dramatic!!

I wished we had had more time to explore this area.

We saw a sign that led up the mountain to an overlook so decided to check it out.

There were signs at the top that talked about the area…

The views were beautiful!

There was also a sign that talked about the Silver Fire of 2013.

The fire was caused by a lighting strike and burned over 138,000 acres!

After reading some of the signs and checking out the views, we headed back to the main road to continue our drive.

Not even 1 minute later, as we rounded a curve, I happened to glance to my right and spotted a bear!

I couldn’t believe it! I yelled for my husband to stop and back up lol! He didn’t think I’d actually seen a bear — but I quickly proved him wrong!

It was a beautiful black bear!

It is the only species of bear in the Gila National Forest. Their numbers are unknown and sightings are rare because this area is so vast so it definitely made for an unforgettable moment!

Click here to see a list of animals that are found in the forest

After taking 239 pics of the bear, we continued our drive.

And as usual, I continued my non stop photo shoot of the scenery! 😉

We were entering a place called San Lorenzo Canyon Area.

This area is one of the most visually striking drives in and around the Gila National Forest.

As we drove through the San Lorenzo area, the landscape shifted dramatically.

The road wound between towering rock formations and canyon walls, closing in around us as we followed each curve!

It felt like entering a different world — one shaped by time, erosion, and the rugged beauty of Gila.

These walls and rock formations were shaped by volcanic activity, and erosion from water and wind that carved out the narrow canyons.

The views were simply spectacular!!

Around each curve, a different view unloaded!

It was like a different scene kept unfolding before our eyes — towering rock walls, narrow passages, and glimpses of the rugged terrain beyond!

We spotted a pullover so decided to stop and take a few pictures of the scenery.

After snapping a few pictures, we continued our drive.

A few minutes later, we spotted a rattlesnake in the middle of the road and just had to stop to take a picture!

New Mexico is home to 10 distinct rattlesnake species, including the common western diamondback, prairie rattlesnake, and the endangered New Mexico ridge nose rattlesnake.

I don’t recommend you ever get close to a rattlesnake unless you know for sure that it’s dead!

Santa Rita Mine Viewpoint (Historic Mining Area Near Silver City)

About 15 mins later, we arrived to the area of Santa Rita and noticed the mountains looked like they had been mined.

Tip: About 30 mins from here is the Faywood Hot Springs

As we continued our drive, we realized this was a massive copper mining operation!

We spotted a pullover and decided to check it out.

The pullover included some information plaques that talked about the mine.

This is called the Chino Mine also known as the Santa Rita Mine.

The mine is a massive open pit copper mine and is one of the oldest open pit copper mines in North America.

The open pit operations began around 1910.

The size is hard to grasp unless you see it for yourself!

The main pit is roughly 2.8 miles long and over 1300 ft deep!

It’s considered one of the largest open pit mines in the world!

From the overlook, it looked like a massive terraced crater….the colors of the mine were amazing!

One of the most fascinating parts of its story is that the original town of Santa Rita once sat where the pit is today.

As the mine expanded, the town was moved multiple times….eventually, it was completely abandoned in 1967.

The huge mining equipment looked tiny against the scale of the pit.

There’s a famous rock formation called the “Kneeling Nun” that overlooks the mine.

The “Kneeling Nun” is about 1-2 miles from the mine pit…it often appears off to the side or above the mine. It’s a thin vertical spire that resembles a person kneeling in prayer.

We didn’t see it from the overlook.

Silver City (Historic, Southwest Town & Travel Base) – Where to Stay

After leaving here, we continued our drive to Silver City.…we were now only 30 mins from Silver City.

Finally, at around 7 pm, we arrived to our AirBnb.

We rented a one bed, one bath apartment that had been restored.

It was so cute and quaint!

We absolutely loved it!

It had so much character!

We were so excited to see that our host had left us a bag of chips and salsa because we were starving!

Atter sitting outside for a while, we called it a night.

If you only have 1 day to spend driving from Santa Fe to Silver City, here’s the best order to follow:

1. Elephant Butte State Park
2. Truth or Consequences
3. Gila National Forest
4. Santa Rita Mine
5. Silver City

This route gives you a mix of scenic landscapes, unique towns, and historic sites in one day.

Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned for Day 6!

Read Day 1 here – Exploring New Mexico – Day 1 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025

Day 2  here – Exploring New Mexico – Day 2 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025

Day 3 here – Exploring New Mexico – Day 3 – Albuquerque to Sante Fe – Oct. 2025

Day 4 here – Exploring New Mexico – Day 4 – Santa Fe – Oct 2025

And click here to see links to all of my blog posts