Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway

State: New Mexico
National Forest: Gila National Forest
Length: 95.0 mi / 152.9 km
Time to Allow: Take three hours to drive, or six-eight hours to experience this byway.

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.

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  Birding on Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway

  Updated Mar 1, 2012 in Get Outdoors! And Go Birding

  Drive the Trail of the Mountain Spirits through southwestern New Mexico. Let the desert landscape take you by surprise; from mountains and valleys to creeks and lakes, the colorful area is also home to the state’s first designated birding trail, the Southwest New Mexico State Birding Trail. The trail is one of the state's hottest birding spots.

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  Ecosystems Collide on Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway

  Jul 1, 2009

  The Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway in southwestern New Mexico is home to the world’s first wilderness area. Come see what led conservationist Aldo Leopold to advocate the area’s preservation as you travel the byway through the convergence of the Chihuahuan Desert, the Sonoran Desert, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, the Mexican Plateau, the Great Basin, and Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains.

See all 3 Stories for Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway

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• 1-Day Trip: The Trail of the Mountain Spirits Calls You
  (New Mexico)

  Take a journey of discovery into the Gila National Forest, pausing at overlooks to enjoy views of the rugged mountains and the diverse plant and...