The Gila National Forest is a protected national forest in the state New Mexico, which was established in 1905. It covers approximately 4235 square miles of public land, making it the sixth largest National Forest in the continental United States.

The Forest also manages that part of the Apache National Forest that is in New Mexico which totals an additional 950 square miles for a total of 5185 square miles managed by the Gila National Forest.

A part of the national forest, the Gila Wilderness, was established in 1924 as the first designated wilderness reservation by the U.S. federal government. Aldo Leopold Wilderness and the Blue Range Wilderness are also found within its borders. The Blue Range Primitive Area lies within Arizona in the neighboring Apache National Forest.

The forest is located in southwestern New Mexico, in the following counnties: southern Catron county; northern Grant county; western Sierra county; and extreme northeastern Hidalgo county.

3005 Camino del Bosque, Silver City, NM 88061

Homelands of Mescalero-Chiricahua tribe of the Athabascan Speaking people.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located with the Catron County section of the Gila National forest.

After leaving Silver City, crossing over the continental divide, I drive north on US 180 to SH 159 where I turn right, travel east and drive up into the Mogollon Mountains to a ghost town called Mogollon. The drive up is nice, very step at times and I do stop for some photos along the way.

I was told that this was an interesting drive, but I was not impressed by the ghost town because most all of the homes and businesses have been converted to residents. So, in fact, it is no longer a ghost town but a residential community.

The mountains and the town were named for Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollon, governor of New Mexico from 1712 to 1715. The name Mogollon, also applied to the ancient desert Stone Stacker culture who had been living in this area since over four thousand years ago, and who after crossing the Beringia land bridge during the second migration, traveled southward across the continent to the Colorado plateau, upon which they choose as their homeland.

Leaving SH 159, I return to my northward drive on US 180 until I summit Saliz Pass, elevation 6436, arriving here late in the afternoon to overnight in dispersed camping in the national forest due to the fact that all the developed campgrounds in the Gila national forest have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon driving over the pass, I notice another group set up already, so I exit slowly off of the highway and set up my camp a good distance from that group.

Leaving out of Las Cruces long before noon today, I drive north on IH 25 to exit 63 where I turn on SH 152 and drive west up into the Gila National Forest until I climb up to over seven thousand feet in elevation. Since most, if not all of the National Forest campgrounds are closed, I begin looking for a side road where I can pull off the state highway and park for the night. It is about three in the afternoon when I stop at one location, back into a shady spot, open the windows and climb into the back to pound on my keyboard for a time. I am in the Mimbres mountains somewhere east of Silver City

Then, at five this afternoon, I pack out and head further east because, although this spot is not bad, I would like one where I can set up and cook my supper which would be hard to do here due to the tight space. So, I journey on westward to find another place so that I can set up to camp and shortly afterwards, come upon Emery Pass at 8228 feet in elevation on an arm off of the Black Range.

After stopping for photos, I continue down on the western side, stopping along the way at more of the Gila National Forest.

Then, I do find a place where I can pull off and set up to cook my supper but I then decide that I will continue the drive to Silver City right after making my meal and cleaning up my kitchen. On the rest of the drive, I sip a cup of broth from the cook pot while I watch the sun set. The drive during the last dozen miles takes me much longer than I expected because of stopping to take photos often.