Son of a dog biscuit, it is hot! It is not fit for man or beast out there. Eeesh. Who made Mother Nature mad? Please apologize so we can get a relief from all the heat. Difficult to get out early enough when our low was 95 last night. Ugh. Stay hydrated and cool, dear readers.
I’m not sure heading over to Silver City, New Mexico gets you away from the heat, but they would be a little less hot over there, especially in the Gila National Forest. To kick off their day, they chose a hike close to the hotel called the Dragonfly or Trail #720. The trail head is located roughly three miles north on 180. Parking is plentiful and free, and they have human restrooms. Doggos are most welcome! They even have a water pump to fill up your bottles if you need. Always remember to bring plenty of water, especially during the hot season.
This trail is in the flatlands but has distant mountain views. Mostly dirt or sand, this is an easy hike or 
mountain bike ride. Horses are allowed as well, so watch your step. Besides having quick access from town, this trail is known for the petroglyphs of dragonflies, thus the name. In total, the loop is 3.5 miles long.
Mom and Dad went two miles out and took a connector trail to the other side to hike back two miles. They enjoyed the juniper trees and wild flowers. Dad said Mom was hiking at warp speed since I wasn’t with them to sniff everything. Dad got a good workout! Their morning hike of 4 miles took 1 ½ hours, and they were off to do another hike: Lake Roberts.
Lake Roberts is located in the Gila National Forest off NW Highway 35, 21 miles North of Mimbres. Mimbres has ranching and farming, and they were approached by a guard dog alongside of the road. He did my kind proud and was very protective of his herd of goats. Good job! Mom and Dad slowly drove by and said hello for me.
Once again, they packed a lunch they bought at the Silver City Walmart. This area is remote and doesn’t have any services other than a bleak general store. The man with no teeth at the store wasn’t friendly, and they didn’t have much other than some fishing worms. Contrary to the book, Dad didn’t think fried worms sounded appetizing.
The upper parking lot (not boat launch area) for the Lake Roberts hiking trail had a couple of picnic tables and port-o-potties. Lake Roberts doesn’t charge an entrance or parking fee. They ate their lunch under the shade of a tree with a lake view. Hardly a soul was there, which was strange since it was a holiday weekend. A few folks 
were fishing from the shoreline, but they didn’t see any boats on the water.
The Lake Roberts trail #34 isn’t a loop. It doesn’t go around the entire lake but goes out to the dam and back for a total of two miles. It is also relatively flat and follows the shoreline of the lake. Right away, Mom and Dad saw a baby bird and a family of wild turkeys.
The lake was full, so they had to hike to higher ground in a few places where the trail was washed out or muddy. As it typical in western states like Colorado and New Mexico, the afternoon clouds rolled in and threatened to rain. They picked up their pace and were able to complete the out-and-back trail around Lake Roberts.
To get back to the hotel, they decided to take The Trail of Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway or the 15. It is a curvy but pretty drive. This is the same road that took them to the Cliff Dwellers the day before, except they didn’t go as far north. It is slower going but worth the extra time as it crosses six climatic zones and gives a glimpse into the Old West Territory and Native American history.
In a nutshell, that’s their trip to Silver City, New Mexico. Their review is the scenery is beautiful, but the town is run down and falling apart. The restaurants were consistently dirty with fair to horrible food. Service was lacking as well. Thankfully The Holiday Inn Express was decent and clean. They were grateful for that! Will they go back? Probably not. Are they glad they got to see the Cliff Dwellings, Gila Hot Springs, and take a few hikes? Yes! They always enjoy being out in nature, even though they missed me.
As they were heading out of town, they gave downtown one more shot, and they had breakfast at the Adobe 
Springs Café. Again, it wasn’t in great condition, but the service was fabulous, and the food very good. They sat outside and watched the day begin. This was a nice surprise ending to their visit.
Should you go, manage your expectations, and remember “this is New Mexico.” I think we will head North this weekend and try to find some cooler temperatures. I’ll let you know what we do and where. Stay cool!
My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is kind enough to help me share my Great Adventures, big and small. My mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/kuma/kumas-great-adventures/
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Get outside! You never know what you’ll discover, and our paths just might cross. Happy tails!
Ginger Stahl says
Fun to read about your second half of the trip to Silver City. Hiking and scenery made it worth the trip, but as you say, not so much that you intend to return any time soon. Glad you got a delicious and well-served breakfast!!!