Part of this year’s Gila River Festival. Register now; space is limited.

Participant limit: 12, Fee: $30
Difficulty: easy
Meet at 10:00 am at Gila Cliff Dwellings parking lot. Travel time: ~1hr 45 minutes via Highway 15. Field trip will end at 2 pm to be back in Silver City by approximately 3:45pm.

Begin in Silver City on US Highway 180/Silver Heights Boulevard should take Pinos Altos Road which becomes New Mexico Highway 15 North. NM 15 begins in Silver City and only heads north. Continue for 42 miles until you reach the Gila Visitor Center. To reach the dwellings turn left just before reaching the visitor center and continue for 2 miles until the road ends. The first 25 miles of NM 15 are narrow with steep sections of 10-12% grade for several miles and there is no center dividing line. Vehicles should use lower gears when driving to avoid overheating brakes and stay as far right as possible, especially on tight curves.

Join us for an incredible, hands-on tour of the geologic history of Gila Hot Springs with Eric Head. From its super volcano origins, to the catastrophic earthquakes and landslides that reshaped the landscape and gave birth to the area’s hot springs, to the massive lakes that gave rise to our modern Gila River Headwaters, tag along with Eric Head as he takes you across the valley for a hands on tour of the forces that have shaped this place we love so much.

We will start at the Gila Cliff Dwellings parking lot, where all of the major geologic events of the area are laid out right in front of you. Then we will travel a few miles down the road to the river where we can see the aftermath of a few of the events up close, do a little rock hounding and identification, and cool off from the heat of the day. After a quick stop for ice cream at Doc Campbell’s General Store, we will head back upstream to the Middle Fork trailhead and take a short (~ ½ mile) hike to Light Feather Hot Springs, where 140 degree water pours out of the living rock! Make sure and bring shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and please feel free to bring swimming gear – there is no place like the Gila River for a refreshing dip in the cool water on a hot day!