Gila National Forest

Points of Interest

VLA (Very Large Array) - Just off the northeast edge of the forest, the VLA is the largest configuration of Radio Telescopes in the world, probing the mysteries that lie beyond the Milky Way.

Aldo Leopold Vista - Situated along NM 180, this picnic area overlooks the spectacular western ranges of the Gila Wilderness.

Senator Clinton P. Anderson Overlook - Providing views into river canyons and wild ranges colored in bright reds and yellows, this vista overlooks the eastern ramparts of the Gila Wilderness and honors one of the pioneers of the Wilderness Act.

Gila Visitor Center/Wilderness District Office - Offers a variety of services including a small museum, an excellent selection of books and other items, and information about the Gila Wilderness and the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in winter; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument - A one-mile loop trail leads the visitor up a shady canyon into the past and opens a window into the lives and homes of Indians who lived here from the 1280's to the early 1300s.

Emory Pass Vista - Perched at the top of the Black Range, Emory Pass Vista gives sweeping views across the mountains, over the Rio Grande Valley and Caballo Reservoir, to the distant San Andres Mountains, beyond which lies White Sands National Monument.

Fort Bayard National Recreation Trails - A network of trails leading to the Big Tree, the Old Wagon Road, and Wood Haul Road. Fort Bayard is an early Army post built during Apache uprisings in the late 1800s.

Apache Creek Archaeological Interpretive Site - A classic Mimbres village of ancient walls and great kiva lying along the Tularosa River, this site tells the story of a people famed for their pottery and art. A nearby trail leads to the mesa top and interprets petroglyphs scattered along the rimrock.

Catwalk National Recreation Trail - Suspended over Whitewater Creek on a metal catwalk, or meandering along the cool and colorful canyon, the Catwalk NRT is a famous and fascinating trail highlighting the history of mining in the Mogollon Range.

Gila Bird Area - Home to 130 species of birds including rare Mexican visitors like the Black Hawk and Elf Owl, this area was set aside as bird habitat in 1972 and continues to offer outstanding viewing opportunities year-round.