Outdoor

• City of Rocks State Park: A striking result of the geological process of erosion. Mysterious formations, sculpted by nature. These towering monoliths resemble an eerie Stonehenge. Monthly campfire includes singing, stories and a hot-dog and marshmallow roast. (505) 536-2800
• Bird Watching: Wild Turkey, Great Blue Heron, Black Hawk, Mexican Jay, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager.
  • Gila Bird and Nature Festival: New Mexico Gila National Forest, the southwestern preserves of the Nature Conservancy of New Mexico, and nearby localities. Late April/Early May. This festival features field trips to observe neotropical migratory birds as well as the flora of Southwestern forests and rivers, and to visit Mimbres archaeological sites. One third of all bird species in North America have been sighted along the Gila River in New Mexico, including a rare Black Hawk. The Mimbres Preserve of the Nature Conservancy features a beautiful riparian woodland, and its river is refuge for the only remaining population of Chihuahua chub in the U.S. The prehistoric Mimbres culture is renown for its beautiful painted pottery that depicts animals and mythological creatures.   For more information about the Festival contact the Silver City Chamber of Commerce at 538-3784 or the Gila National Forest Supervisor's Office at 388-8201.
• Rock Hounding: Copper, Turquoise, Moon stone, Meerschaum, Petrified wood, Chalcopyrite, Limonite.
• Wildflowers: Colorful wildflowers line the roadsides all over southwest New Mexico.  Though wildflowers are not found during all seasons, when the summers rains begin NM's fauna burst into life with brilliance, and are kept fresh with afternoon rains through October.
• Cycling: The Tour of the Gila is widely known as one of America's most challenging races. the 5 day long stage consists of approximately 24,000 feet of incline and also includes races for beginners and intermediates.  The Tour of the Gila is sure to offer the kind of excitement that you will not want to miss.
• Hiking, Backpacking, Camping: 3.3 million acres of publicly owned forest and range land within the Gila National Forest.
• Fishing: Licenses offered by vendors through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
• Hunting: One of the few places it is still possible to hunt 7 different species of game at the same time. Permits required; several require advance mail-in applications. Contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
• Gila Wilderness: As of June 1924, the world's first wilderness, land closed to all works of man, where only travel by foot and horseback are permitted.
• Silver City Recreational Facilities:
  • 3 swimming pools
  • 3 nearby lakes
    • Bill Evans Lake: 62 acre lake, fishing and camping, 10 miles South of Silver City.
    • Lake Roberts: 71 acre lake, trout fishing, 40 miles North of Silver City.
    • Bear Canyon Waterfall: NM35 through the Mimbres Valley.
  • 2 theaters
  • 10 parks
  • 1 golf course
  • 16 tennis courts
• Faywood Hot Springs: Several outdoor soaking pools; clothing required or optional; tent and RV camping; massages. Next to the City of Rocks State Park. (505) 536-9663.
• Lightfeather Hot Spring: Clothing optional. Near the Gila Cliff Dwellings (505) 536-2250.
• Rock Hound State Park: 14 miles south of Deming. Free samples of semiprecious stones. (505) 5446-6182, campsites
• The Catwalk: Steep Trail over suspended bridges, 25 feet over a whitewater stream through a canyon. East of Glenwood. Old mines sites. In 1897, an 18 inch pipeline, installed along Whitewater Creek to supply water to a mill, was dubbed by workers "to Catwalk".
• Lordsburg Recreational Facilites:
  • 6 lane bowling facility
  • 3 basketball courts
  • 2 volleyball courts
  • 2 tennis courts
  • 1 public pool
  • 1 shooting range
  • 1 archery range
  • 4 city parks
• Spring Canyon Park: East of Deming.
  
  For Comments or Questions Contact:
  
  mimbres@silver.wnmu.edu