Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway
Follow the Spirit of Geronimo

Departure: Geronimo Springs Museum and Visitor and Interpretive Center, New Mexico
Destination: Beaverhead, New Mexico
Time to allow: 2 days

On the first day, visit Geronimo Springs Museum and Geronimo Trail Interpretive Center, the Lake Valley kiosk and Hillsboro. Have lunch in one of Hillsboro's cafés. Drive to Kingston, Emory Pass Vista, and San Lorenzo, with a brief stop to view the Kneeling Nun. In San Lorenzo, refresh yourself at the convenience store for your trip back. Return across the Black Range to Truth or Consequences, stopping at the Caballo Mountain Vista. Visit Ralph Edwards Park and Apache Rocks. At the end of the day, relax by soaking in a hot mineral bath.

On the second day, visit Elephant Butte Dam Site Recreation area and the overlook of the dam. Go to Cuchillo and Chloride, then have lunch in Winston. Continue to the site of the former Warm Springs Apache Reservation and on to Beaverhead. Return from Beaverhead to Truth or Consequences. If you're traveling between September and May, take a jacket or coat because it gets cool in the mountains.

Day 1

  • Start: Geronimo Springs Museum and Visitor and Interpretive Center

    Geronimo Trail Visitors & Interpretive Center is the focal point of information for the Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway. Displays tell about the communities along the route, the plants and animals that may be seen, and the geology of how the area was formed. Geronimo Springs Museum, in the same complex, is rated one of the best small-town museums in the country. From its world-class display of prehistoric pottery to its log cabin, chuck box, saloon, and windmill in the patio, the displays give you the feel of history. A life-size wax statue of Geronimo is the focus in the Apache room, with history of other Apache leaders. Fourteen rooms of intriguing displays have interesting stories attached, so you can see and understand the importance of seemingly insignificant items to a time and generation now gone.

  • Stop 1: Lake Valley Kiosk

    From previous stop: 20 minutes / 17 mi (27.2 km)
    Directions:

    Take business route I-25 to Williamsburg about 3 miles to the junction of NM 187. Turn south on NM 187 before the on-ramp to I-25, and travel on NM 187 for 11.5 miles to the junction of NM 152. Turn west on NM 152 and travel for approximately 10 miles.
    Suggested time at this stop: 10 minutes

    Look out over the sprawling terrain and feel the vastness of the land. It was this expansive openness that gave the Apache his spirit of freedom and independence, made him feel one with the land, one with nature. Miners living near here during the 1880s and ranchers moving into this area revered it for its great expanse of grasslands and wide open spaces. To the west is the former mining camp of Gold Dust. Later a copper mine was located here. Cattle still graze the land. NM 152 from the junction of NM 187 west is a popular bicycling route.

  • Stop 2: Hillsboro

    From previous stop: 20 minutes / 4.5 mi (7.2 km)
    Directions:

    Continue west on NM 152 to Hillsboro.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour 30 minutes

    The community of Hillsboro has changed little in the last 100 years. Walk through the town and look at the 1880s architecture and style. A must-see are the two churches in the town. Union Church on the hill dates from the 1880s, with the splendor of stained glass windows and ornate interior fixtures. The Catholic Church on Main Street was rebuilt following the plans of the original structure after one of the devastating floods that hit Hillsboro. Be sure and visit the site of the original Sierra County Courthouse on the hill overlooking the town. The Black Range Museum, hours vary, is located in the old Ocean Grove Hotel building, owned and operated by Sadie Orchard, well known madam and pioneer business woman in Hillsboro. The General Store Café is located in a building that has been in continual use as a business for over 120 years. Many interesting artifacts of early times are on display. If some of the stores are not open, remember that Hillsboro residents have the independent nature of living in the "land of mañana". If something doesn't get done today, there is always tomorrow.

  • Stop 3: Kingston

    From previous stop: 15 minutes / 8 mi (12.8 km)
    Directions:

    Continue west on NM 152 to Kingston. The road to the right is Kingston's main street.
    Suggested time at this stop: 45 minutes

    Kingston, the domain of Apaches Victorio and Geronimo, became the "gem of the Black Range", the premier mining town of New Mexico. Frequenting this metropolis were the famous and infamous of the territory. Sadie Orchard started her first brothel on Virtue Avenue in Kingston. Ed Doheney and Albert Fall, later of Teapot Dome fame, got their starts here. Mark Twain visited and wrote of one of the local residents, Sheba Hurst, in his book "Roughin' It". McKenna wrote of the stories of Apaches, miners, outlaws and wild times in his book Black Range Tales. Eugene Manlove Rhodes used this town as the setting for some of his western books, and was said to be fond of getting into a card game here. The Victorio Hotel housed the well-to-do visitors. Lillian Russell's dance troupe performed at the local opera house. This former town of over 7,000 residents, 22 saloons, a bank, 3 hotels, 3 newspapers, an assay office and an opera house is only a ghostly shadow of its former self. The Black Range Lodge was a boarding house during mining days and is now a bed-and-breakfast. The large lobby added later was built from the materials dismantled from Pretty Sam's Casino. The Percha Bank Museum is owned by Cranberry Press next door, and will be opened on request. Regular hours will be posted on the door and may vary with the seasons. Both sites are worth a visit. NM 152 past Kingston and across Emory Pass is on the south route of the bike centennial cross country trail. Hiking, bicycling, bird watching and rock hounding are popular around Kingston.

  • Stop 4: Emory Pass Vista

    From previous stop: 30 minutes / 8.2 mi (13.1 km)
    Directions:

    Continue west on NM 152 from Kingston for 8.2 miles. During this stretch of road you will climb 3,000 feet in elevation. The road has many twists, turns and hair-pin curves, and the speed limit of 25 miles per hour is advisable. One car magazine labeled this road as a supreme driving challenge.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    Emory Pass Vista is a must-experience view. From this vantage point, miles of rugged terrain can be seen. Feel the spirit of the Apaches moving through the mountains and valleys, across the distant mesas to the Rio Grande valley and the Caballo (Mescal) Mountains beyond. Just as the Apaches looked out over these mountains to rejuvenate their spirits in the wonder of the land, so will you feel the insignificance of humanity in the vast beauty of creation. This stop is also on the bird watchers' trail, and it is a popular location to find a variety of mountain species. Several hiking and backpacking trails leave from Emory Pass Vista. The road from Kingston across Emory Pass to San Lorenzo is used as a test run for handling prototype cars by automobile manufacturers.

  • Stop 5: San Lorenzo

    From previous stop: 40 minutes / 19.5 mi (31.2 km)
    Directions:

    Leave Emory Pass Vista and return to NM 152, continue the drive west down the mountain. The western slope is not as steep and curvy as the eastern slope. Continue to the junction with NM35/61.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Ten miles beyond the Kneeling Nun vista is the village of San Lorenzo. This is the end of the Geronimo Trail at its southern point. At this point, the Geronimo Trail intersects the Trail of the Mountain Spirits, and from here you may return across the mountain. The Chiricahua Apache tribe was split into sub-tribes or family groups. The Red Paint People were concentrated on the west side of the Black Range, and the Warm Springs People were concentrated on the east side of the Black Range, although they intermingled and traversed each other's territory and banded together against common enemies. San Lorenzo is an early farming community in the Mimbres River valley.

  • Stop 6: Caballo Mountain Vista

    From previous stop: 1 hour 15 minutes / 56.5 mi (90.4 km)
    Directions:

    From San Lorenzo return east across the Black Range on NM 152 past Emory Pass, Kingston, through Hillsboro, and to the junction of NM 187. Proceed north on NM 187 for approximately 3.5 miles to the Caballo Mountain Vista.
    Suggested time at this stop: 10 minutes

    From the Caballo Mountain Vista, particularly in the afternoon with the sun behind you, the character of the cliffs, rocks and crevasses may be seen. The moving shadows of clouds passing overhead seem to make the mountain come alive and provide a constantly changing panorama of rugged majesty. It is easy to imagine Apaches hiding in the darkened recesses. The Apaches built a trail through Caballo Gap, and when the settlers needed to build a road across the mountain they used the old trail as a guide. There was mining activity in the area, and tales of lost mines and lost gold abound to this day.

  • Stop 7: Apache Rocks and Turtleback Mountain

    From previous stop: 20 minutes / 11 mi (17.6 km)
    Directions:

    Continue north on NM 187 to Williamsburg. Take the 4-lane back toward downtown Truth or Consequences, until it divides on Broadway into one-way streets. Travel east on Broadway and continue straight east when the one-way curves north onto Date Street. Go 1 1/2 blocks to the parking lot at Ralph Edwards park. The rocks are on the north side of the fish pond, and the entrance to the path is located on the east side of the pond, across Cedar Street from the main part of the park.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    In an unlikely spot in the middle of downtown Truth or Consequences, this Apache campsite from the past still endures. There are numerous very old grinding holes and blackened rocks from cook fires that testify to the use of these rocks as a sheltered campsite over a long period of time. Oral history tells that the Apaches made pilgrimages here to camp and take the baths through the 1940s. The rocks were still at the edge of town, and the ball park was located where Ralph Edwards Park is now situated. Groups of Apaches would set up their teepees and stay to bathe in the waters, as they had for generations. It was a period of rejuvenation and revitalization of their spirit to soak in the soothing mineral waters. After 1950 the town encroached too closely upon the location, and the Apaches stopped making their pilgrimages. Feel the majesty of Turtleback Mountain as it towers over the Rio Grande and adjacent town.

  • Stop 8: Historic Bath House District

    From previous stop: 3 minutes / 0.1 mi (0.2 km)
    Directions:

    From Ralph Edwards Park turn south to Austin Street. You are now in the Historic Bath House District. Several of the bath house facilities are within two blocks of here, with three others scattered over an area of a few blocks away.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    The mineral waters found here were used by the Apaches to soothe and relieve their battlewounds. As the settlers arrived they discovered the healing and soothing quality and rejuvenating powers of the local mineral waters. Today, you can relax in the soothing hot mineral waters. This is a "must-do" experience during your visit along the Geronimo Trail and a most relaxing form of recreation. Some facilities have open public pools. Other facilities have private enclosed tubs or pools with water flowing naturally through them. Massage and reflexology therapy are available at many facilities. Information on the bath house facilities can be obtained at Geronimo Springs Museum and the Visitor's Center.

  • End: Truth or Consequences

    From previous stop: same location

    Lodging is available here in Truth or Consequences.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 124.8 miles / 199.7 km
Total Travel Time: 3 hours 43 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Day 2

  • Stop 1: Elephant Butte Dam and Lake

    From previous stop: 15 minutes / 5 mi (8.0 km)
    Directions:

    From Truth or Consequences turn onto NM 51 at the only stop light in town. Continue east on NM 51 until you reach the sign reading Damsite Recreation area at the junction of NM 177. Turn left and follow the road about 0.2 miles to the parking area.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Elephant Butte Lake is one of the most prominent man-made features in the southwestern United States. Besides being the largest lake in New Mexico, it is the location of the most popular State Park. With three full-service marinas, a wide variety of water sports are available. Camping, picnicking, and nature trails are popular. Enthusiasts enjoy birding along the river, below the dam, and along the shore line at the northern part of the lake.

  • Stop 2: Cuchillo

    From previous stop: 45 minutes / 18 mi (28.8 km)
    Directions:

    Leave the overlook at the dam and return to NM 52, a few feet to the south. Return on NM 52 west to the junction of NM 179, approximately 3 miles. Turn north on NM 179 for 2 miles, then west onto NM 195 past Elephant Butte Lake State Park entrance, through the City of Elephant Butte, and continue to the junction of NM 181. Turn north on NM 181 for 2.5 miles to the junction of NM 52. Turn west on NM 52 for 6 miles to the town of Cuchillo.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    Apaches farmed this land under Chief Cuchillo Negro before the white settlers arrived. It became a farming community of Hispanic settlers who lived in relative peace with their Apache neighbors. After the discovery of gold and silver, the town became a stagecoach stopover between the railroad at Engle and the mining camps of the northern Black Range. Some of the buildings remain from the stage coach days, but are not available to the public. If the pecan farm and candy shop are open, stop and try their delicious hand-made pecan confections. Tours may be had of the pecan orchard. Chili farms are also located nearby, and guide services are available for pack trips into the wilderness areas.

  • Stop 3: Chloride

    From previous stop: 1 hour / 24.5 mi (39.2 km)
    Directions:

    From Cuchillo continue west along NM 152 to the town of Winston. Turn left one block past the General Store, where the sign points to Chloride. Follow the paved road for 2.5 miles into Chloride.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    Silver was discovered in Chloride creek in the 1870s by Harry Pye. He returned with two friends in 1879 to stake a claim. They were attacked by Apaches, Pye and one friend were killed, but the other friend escaped and returned. Word of the strike spread, and the town of Chloride was founded in 1880. The town almost folded when the silver prices dropped in the 1920s. Ed James locked up the Pioneer Store in 1923 and never came back. When it was purchased in 1989, everything still sat where it had been, covered with years of accumulated dirt. The new owners painstakingly cleaned everything, restored the building to its original grandeur and put all the contents back in place as a Museum. To enter the Pioneer Store today, you are truly stepping back in time. The remaining residents of Chloride are known for their spirit of freedom, strong will and determination to keep their peaceful little valley unaffected by the outside world.

  • Stop 4: Winston

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 2.5 mi (4.0 km)
    Directions:

    From Chloride, follow the paved road back to Winston and NM 52.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    Located in a beautiful valley lying between the Cuchillo and Black Range mountains, Winston was first known as Buena Vista, or Fairview. Until the discovery of silver nearby it was just grassland roamed by the Apaches, a few prospectors, and open range cattle. Troops from Ojo Caliente Fort passed by on occasion and admired the view. After the discovery of silver and the establishment of Chloride as a mining town, miners and their families also settled in this valley, creating the town. At its peak, there was a hotel, drug store, meat market, sawmill, mercantile, and two town freighters. The stage line ran daily to the railroad at Engle, 50 miles away. The name of the town was changed in 1930 to honor Frank Winston, prominent local businessman and legislator. Today the "little town that refuses to die" has a post office, general store, café, and bar. There are several remaining stately old homes, and the architecture of the old carriage house is original. Enjoy lunch either the café or the general store. There are outfitters in the area to provide hunting guides and pack services into the wilderness areas during hunting season, or for a wilderness trek by horse or mule. The residents retain their spirit for a quality of life that they have maintained for several generations.

  • Stop 5: Former Warm Springs Apache Reservation Site

    From previous stop: 30 minutes / 17 mi (27.2 km)
    Directions:

    Drive north from Winston on NM 52 to the junction of NM 59. Turn left and go approximately 3 miles to the boundary of the Gila National Forest, where the kiosk and pull out is located.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    This view encompasses the Apache homelands in all directions and is not far from where the military had their headquarters and Geronimo was captured at one time. The information kiosks at this stop tell about the history of the area, the Forest Service, and Apache history. As you gaze about the landscape, it is understandable why the Apaches did not want to leave this land, and why they would leave some of their young behind to be raised as white men in the "new way". These children were not leaving their homeland.

  • End: Beaverhead

    From previous stop: 1 hour / 30 mi (48.0 km)
    Directions:

    From the former Reservation overlook, continue west on NM 59 to Beaverhead. You will cross the Continental Divide during this drive, at an elevation of 7,670 feet.

    Beaverhead is at the end of the pavement into the Gila National Forest, and the end of the northern leg of the Geronimo Trail. Geronimo was born near the headwaters of the Gila River, west of this location a few miles. This area was more of the Apaches homeland, and remains much as it looked then. The trip back along NM 59, 52, and 181 to Truth or Consequences will take about 2 1/2 hours.

Totals for Day 2

Total Distance Traveled: 97 miles / 155.2 km
Total Travel Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 3 hours 5 minutes