Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway
un dia / 93 milles / 3 hores 6 minuts
The Trail of the Mountain Spirits beckons. Go where the spirits of miners, homesteaders, Indians, Spanish explorers, and mountain men have left their marks. Cross the Continental Divide, experience the wild Gila River, walk amongst the ruins of ancients to sense life before history, and hear the sounds of solitude.
Dia 1
9:00 - 0 milles / 0 - 9:00
A ranching and mining community dating back to 1870, Silver City lies nestled in the foothills of the Pinos Altos Mountains at an elevation of 6000 feet. Nearby you will find a plethora of activities including the Gila (He-la) Cliff Dwellings, the Mogollon Catwalk, the Continental Divide, and the Silver City Walking Tour. Discover more about Grant County's colorful history. Explore the ancient cultures in the nearby 3.3 million acres of Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness area.
9:00 - 9.2 milles / 18 minuts - 9:18
Recently designated a National Historic Landmark, Fort Bayard is a 19th-century US Army post built to protect miners and settlers from Apache raids. A national cemetery and a wildlife refuge are colocated with the post. Nearby Cameron Creek offers excellent birding. A system of National Recreational Trails offers access to archeological rock art sites.
9:18 - 17.2 milles / 34 minuts - 9:52
Crossing the Continental Divide, one enters the Mimbres Valley. The Mimbres River flows along the road, creating a linear oasis of cottonwood bosque winding past small ranches. Prehistoric Mimbres people lived along this river, and later the Apaches. Hispanics and Anglos settled here as well, mining gold and silver from the hills and leaving ghost towns and graveyards to mark their passing.
9:52 - 66.6 milles / 2 hores 13 minuts - 12:06