Silver City, New Mexico May 29 – June 2, 2024
We enjoyed the scenery driving from one city in New Mexico to another – probably because the topography and vegetation is so different than Florida. We have only traveled in the southern part of New Mexico and I’m sure the scenery will change but so far it seems lonely to me.
We stopped in Ruidoso, New Mexico while driving to visit the Billy the Kid Visitors Center. Billy the Kid traveled many roads across southern New Mexico. We did not stop in Lincoln where he escaped from jail and killed two deputies – which is supposed to be an excellent museum. We will visit the museum in Las Cruces on our return trip. Billy the Kid moved to Silver City, New Mexico in 1873 with his mother who had tuberculosis. After she died when he was 16, he began his life of crime. A short life – he died at 21. New Mexico seems to love him.
Besides Billy the Kid’s home, the main attraction in Silver City was the Gila (pronounced “hee la”) Cliff Dwellings National Monument. The dwellings were used for thousands of years by groups of nomads as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, Native American People (Mogollon) made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery in the cliff dwellings. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind. Silver City is the closest city to the cliff dwellings. The drive takes about 1 ½ hours over a mountainous winding road (road is probably and exaggeration). It is about a mile hike up the cliffs to see the caves. The caves were unique and preserved enough that you could visualize how ancient people lived. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Gila Cliff Dwellings (although not the ride).
We loved our stay in Silver city. We were still in the grips of the heat wave, but the nights were cool. Our site at the park was very nice, and we enjoyed sitting out most evenings.
Now we travel north to Albuquerque!
“I Can See For Miles” by The Who