The WNMU Outdoor Experience BACKPACKING BOULDERING
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¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to the WNMU Outdoor Experience Below you’ll find a list of some popular places and things to do outdoors. To protect these natural resources, please follow posted rules and regulations. Tread lightly and keep motorized vehicles on established trails. Plan ahead and be prepared. While you’re exploring, use good judgment: pack out all of your trash; build fires only in designated areas and be extremely careful with open flame; be sure camp fires are out cold. Remember to bring water on all of your excursions, and drink plenty of it. Most of all, take some time to get to know the outdoors - you won’t be disappointed! BACKPACKING Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness General Information: 1.575.388.8201 3005 E. Camino del Bosque • Silver City, NM 88061 Take time to explore the Nation’s third largest National Forest and first Wilderness Area; hundreds of miles of fantastic trails. Call or visit the Visitor Center more information, maps, and restrictions. Getting there: Silver City is surrounded by the Gila! Get on HWY 180 and travel east or west; take HWY 15 and head north, or take HWY 90 and go south….. You’ll be in the Gila in no time! BOULDERING/ROCK CLIMBING/ RAPPELLING *Bring your own gear. Climb and boulder at your own risk. City of Rocks State Park P.O. Box 50 • Faywood, NM 88034 Phone: 1.575.536.2800 Activities: Camping, day-use, bouldering, stargazing parties, and more. Getting there: From Silver City, take US 180 south approximately 28 miles to NM 61. Turn left on NM 61 toward Faywood; 4 miles to the park entrance road. Rates: $5/car/day-use; $8 primitive camp site Hueco Tanks 6900 Hueco Tanks Road No 1 • El Paso, TX 79938 General and reservations: 915.857.1135 Activities: Climbing is restricted in order to protect archaeological areas, but Hueco Tanks is considered to be one of the best bouldering sites in America. Approximately 50 established routes, including jug- hauls, technical vertical faces, cracks, long chimneys, and plenty of exposure. Most routes have bolts. You need to be proficient at finding and placing gear for runout sections. You must call for reservations. Best times to visit: October- April. Getting there: Located 30 miles east of El Paso and about 5 hours from Silver City off I-10. Camping is available. CAR CAMPING IN THE GILA * In general, there will be no drinking water or wood available in these areas; bring your own (you can also use charcoal or propane). Don’t forget your tent, a cooler, and a camp chair! Fire restrictions may apply - call the USFS Supervisor’s Office at 575.388.8201 for more information. Cherry Creek Campground Open all year; no fee; picnic tables and grills; vault toilet; NO POTABLE WATER Getting there: Located 14 miles north of Silver City on the east side of HWY 15 Forks Campground Open all year; no fee; vault toilet; NO POTABLE WATER The Forks Campground provides primitive camping opportunities along the West Fork of the Gila River. Getting there: located approximately five miles south of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument just off NM State Highway 15 and just north of the Gila River Bridge. Grapevine Campground Open all year; no fee; vault toilet; NO POTABLE WATER This campground is located on the banks of the East Fork of the Gila River; close to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and the town of Gila Hot Springs. Getting there: Located 40 miles north of Silver City on the north side of HWY 15 McMillan Campground Open all year; no fee; picnic tables and grills; vault toilet; NO POTABLE WATER Getting there: Located 15 miles north of Silver City on the east side of HWY 15 Scorpion Campgrounds Open all year; no fee; vault toilet; picnic tables and grills; drinking water is available at Visitor Center about ½ mile away Getting there: Located more than 40 miles north of Silver City, on HWY 15. Allow at least 2 hours drive time from Silver City to reach Scorpion Campgrounds. These are the campgrounds closest to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. CAVING/SPELUNKING Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center: 727 National Parks Highway • Carlsbad, NM 88220 Toll Free: 1.877.444.6777 Getting there: Located 5 to 6 hours east of Silver City. Visit website for driving directions. Rates: Guided tours: $8- $20/adult; Self guided: $6/adult; children 15 and under free Kartchner Caverns State Park P.O. Box 1849 • Benson, AZ 85602 Park: 1.520. 586.2283 Information Line: 1.520.586. 4100 Rates: Tickets $35.90 each Getting there: Call for directions and reservations DAY USE AREAS Boston Hill This area reflects Silver City’s hard rock mining era. No amenities. Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, sightseeing. Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Bring drinking water. Getting there: From Silver City, trailheads are available on Cooper, Cheyenne, Spring and Market Streets. Many of the trails intersect, offering a range of paths through the area. Maps are posted at all trailheads. Part of the Silver City Open Space Trail System. The Catwalk Reflects the 1800s mining era. Unique site. Wheelchair accessible; picnic tables and grills; vault toilet; drinking water Activities: Hiking; site seeing; photography; swimming. Difficulty: Easy to moderate Getting there: From Silver City, head west on HWY 180 until you reach Glenwood. About 1000 yards north of the Blue Front Bar, turn right on State Rd. 174 for 5 miles. Total driving distance is 66 miles. Rates: $3.00/car City of Rocks State Park (see details under Bouldering) Dragonfly Petroglyph Hike Dragonfly Trail is well-known for the petroglyphs located approximately 1.5 miles from the trail head. Activities: Hiking; photography; cycling, horseback riding. Difficulty: Easy. Getting there: From Silver City, head east on HWY 180 until you reach Arenas Valley, about 5.4 miles. Turn left on Arenas Valley Road, heading north. You can’t miss the Dragonfly Trail head and parking area. Gomez Peak and Little Walnut Picnic Area Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Trails and group picnic areas; vault toilet; drinking water. For group reservations, please contact the Silver City Ranger District at 1.575.388.8201. Getting there: From HWY 180 in Silver City, turn onto Little Walnut Road (across from the Skate Park) and head north 6 miles. Picnic area is well marked and will be on your left. No overnight camping. Lake Roberts Picnic Area Wilderness Ranger District • Mimbres, NM Phone: 1.575.536.2250 Camping at Mesa Campground (fee); picnic tables/grill; vault toilet; drinking water. Activities: picnicking, fishing, birding, hiking and boating (boat ramp available). Getting there: From Silver City, head north on HWY 15 to the intersection of HWY 35. Turn right off NM Hwy 35. Allow about 1.5 hr. drive time. San Vicente Creek Trail Activities: Day hikes, mountain biking, bird watching. Difficulty: Creek-side trail is easy; great for families with young children. Limited shade after leaving the creek-bottom. Not suitable for strollers, no drinking water or toilets. Map is posted at the trailhead kiosk. Getting there: From downtown Silver City, head south on Bullard, past Jalisco’s restaurant. Turn left on Mill Street and park under the HWY 90 bridge. Part of the Silver City Open Space Trail System. FISHING *Don’t forget your permit! You can pick up a fishing license in at Chucks Folley, the gas station on HWY 180 in Cliff (575.535.2852); the Glenwood Trading Post in Glenwood (575.539.2321); Doc Campbell’s Trading Post in Gila Hot Springs (575.536.9551); and the Apache Creek Store, Reserve (on Apache Creek at the Quemado turnoff) (575.533.6800). Wal-Mart sells them too. Bill Evans Lake Activities: 62 acre man-made lake stocked with rainbow trout and small mouth bass; camping, birding, hiking, and boating/boat ramp. Getting there: From Silver City, head west on HWY 180 approximately 28 miles, turn left on Forest Road (FR) 809 and follow the signs. Gila River Many places to fish on the Gila and its tributaries! Lake Roberts Picnic Area (see details under Day Use) Snow Lake and Willow Creek Picnic tables/grills; vault toilet; drinking water. Activities: Relief from summer heat. Snow Lake is stocked with rainbow trout; boating (boat ramp available); hiking, camping, horseback riding and more. NM Game and Fish stocks Willow Creek with trout two to three times a year. Getting there: From Silver City, head west/northwest on HWY 180 approximately 100 miles to Reserve. From Reserve, take NM 435 south 5.3 miles to where it becomes FR 141. Continue straight on FR 141 for 34.9 miles to FR 28 (Snow Lake sign). Turn right onto FR 28 and go 9.6 miles to "Y" intersection and FR 142 (Snow Lake sign). Bear left at intersection onto FR 142 and go 8.8 miles to Snow Lake Campground sign. For Willow Creek, bear right at the intersection and head down slope to Willow Creek (follow the sign) NOTE: High clearance vehicle recommended. FR 141 becomes gravel after 19 miles with the road surface remaining gravel all the way to Snow Lake and Willow Creek. This road can be rough, especially during the monsoon season (July - September). Quemado Lake Camping; fishing; vault toilet; NO POTABLE WATER. Activities: 131 acre man-made lake stocked with trout; camping, birding, hiking, and boating/boat ramp/pier. Getting there: From Silver City, head west on HWY 180 approximately 90 miles, turn left on NM 32 and follow the signs. HORSEBACK RIDING *Call ahead for reservations, other services, and rate changes.