AREA DAY TRIPS
The Road to Palomas, Mexico
Further east from Silver City, toward Deming and Mexico, are unique in-town and outdoor activities that could be a 1-day or 2-day trip from Bear Mountain Lodge.
Cooke's Peak
Driving southward towards Deming on Highway 180 E., the distinctive landmark on your left is Cooke's Peak, 8000 feet in elevation. The mountain honors Phillip St. George Cooke, who led the U. S. Army's Mormon Battalion through the area in 1846 while scouting an overland wagon route for frontier military use. Later, a Butterfield Overland Stage station and then a Pony Express station operated at the nearby spring. The Army constructed Fort Cummings near Cooke's Spring in 1863 as protection from Apaches, and staffed it intermittently until Geronimo surrendered in 1886. Later, the Cooke's Peak Mining District produced much metal, predominantly lead and zinc, through the years.
Pony Hills Rock Art Site
This isolated treasure is 70 miles from Bear Moun-tain Lodge. From U.S. 180 E. just north of Deming, turn east on State Highway 26 towards Hatch. Drive 5.1 miles and turn left on Green Leaf Mine Rd. (Co. Rd. A016). Go 9.9 miles on the dirt road to a parking area below the second large earthen dam. Numerous Mimbres era petroglyphs are left of the dam among the boulders up atop the hill. Walk up the left side of the dam and follow the faint footpaths upward. Petroglyphs are in many places among the rocks, usually in groups. Be alert, you may encounter snakes. Have sunscreen and extra water.
Deming Luna Mimbres Museum
Located in downtown Deming at 301 S. Silver St., the red brick Museum was originally the first New Mexico National Guard Armory begun after statehood in 1912. Completed soon after Pancho Villa's 1916 Raid on Columbus, the Armory later served as a community social center and a USO. Displays include artifacts and pottery of the Mimbres culture, rocks and geodes, and historical, military, and ranch life exhibits. The museum is open daily 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Sunday from 1:30 - 4:00. Closed Sunday during the summer. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Phone: 575-546-2382.
Rockhound State Park
Perched on the rugged slopes of the Little Florida Mountains 13 miles from Deming, the rocks and semiprecious gem stones in this park are yours for the taking. Search for agates, quartz, jasper, opals, and translucent chalcedony in many shades. There are short hikes and panoramic views from the highest northeast shelter. From Deming, take NM 549 east seven miles, then south on NM 143. Open daily, 7:30 a.m. to sunset; entry fee is $5 per vehicle; phone: 575-546-6182.
Columbus, NM
Thirty miles south of Deming is Columbus, New Mexico, the U.S. town famously attacked by Mexican revolutionaries under Pancho Villa on March 9, 1916. Pancho Villa State Park preserves the grounds of the former Camp Furlong, one of a string of army posts protecting the U.S./Mexico border from marauders and bandits. The park office is an original struc-ture, as is the adjacent dining hall. The park's 49 acres feature beautifully xeriscaped grounds and a new 7000 square foot Exhibit Hall with displays relating to the raid and the Army's subsequent Punitive Expedition against Villa, which marked the Army's first use of automobiles and airplanes in warfare. Highlights include a Curtiss "Jenny" biplane like those flown by the 1st Aero Squadron and a 1916 Dodge Touring Car such as used by General "Black Jack" Pershing as a field office. There are also walking paths and well-labeled botanical gardens. The Exhibit Hall is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. Entry fee: $5 per vehicle. Phone: 575-531-2711. The town of Columbus itself hosts a museum, The Shrine To The Perfect Man, and, on its northwestern edge, The City Of The Sun - a community with some unique one-of-a-kind earthship homes built of "green" materials such as papercrete, tires, adobe, and discarded bottles.
Palomas, Mexico
Three miles south of Columbus is the Mexican border and, across it, the quiet, dusty town of Palomas. If you have your passport it's easy to park on the U.S. side and walk across to shop. Visit the dentista, farmacia, or optometrist, or simply enjoy a meal and do some shopping at the famous "Pink Store."