📷 Photo by Jerome Cha on UnsplashGila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array
Southwest New Mexico’s mountain country: rock pinnacles, cave dwellings, a canyon walkway and a field of giant radio telescopes.
- Distance
- approx. 349 km (217 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 52 min
- Suggested days
- 5
- Stops
- 7
- States
- NM
- Best time to go
- March–April and October–November
- Tolls and vignettes
- None expected
- Updated
- May 26, 2026
At a glance: 5-day road trip of about 349 km (217 mi) with 7 stops, from City of Rocks State Park to Very Large Array. About 3 h 52 min of driving in total. Best time to go: March–April and October–November. No toll roads expected for a car.
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Photos along the route
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Route description
Start at City of Rocks State Park, where you can camp among volcanic pillars and watch the stars. Silver City, a mining town with galleries and a lively downtown, is half an hour away.
NM-15 runs north through Pinos Altos and over the mountains to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, about two hours for 44 winding miles. The Mogollon cave rooms lie a short climb above a creek. Vehicles over 20 feet should use the longer NM-35 route instead.
Return to Silver City and follow US-180 northwest to Glenwood, then turn up Whitewater Canyon to the Catwalk, a metal walkway suspended above a rushing stream. The Gila was the first designated wilderness in the world, and this is the easiest way to see its canyons.
Continue north on US-180 and NM-12 through Reserve and Datil to the Plains of San Agustin, where the 27 dishes of the Very Large Array point at the sky. Distances are long and fuel is scarce, so fill up in Silver City and Glenwood.
Which stops are on Gila Wilderness?
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
City of Rocks State Park
NatureFaywood, NMTall volcanic rock pillars standing like a village in the grassland, with campsites tucked between them and very dark skies.
- 242 km
Silver City
NM - 314 km
Pinos Altos
NM - 449 km
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
HistorySilver City, NMStone rooms built by the Mogollon people in caves above a creek in the 1200s, reached on a one-mile loop trail.
- 570 km
Glenwood
NM - 69 km
The Catwalk
NatureGlenwood, NMA metal walkway bolted to the walls of narrow Whitewater Canyon, following the route of an old mining pipeline.
- 7165 km
Very Large Array
OdditiesDatil, NMTwenty-seven giant radio telescope dishes lined up on the Plains of San Agustin. A visitor center and self-guided walk lead to the base of one.
How do you drive Gila Wilderness in 5 days?
5 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: City of Rocks State Park → Pinos Altos · 35 mi · 0 h 37 minOn the way: Silver City.Overnight nearby, for example: Silver City RV Park (7 mi); Mesa Campground (12 mi).
- Day 2: Pinos Altos → Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument · 30 mi · 0 h 33 minOvernight nearby, for example: Lower Scorpion Campground (< 1 km); Upper Scorpion Campground (< 1 km).
- Day 3: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument → Glenwood · 43 mi · 0 h 47 minOvernight nearby, for example: Bighorn Campground (< 1 km); Ben Lilly Campground (18 mi).
- Day 4: Glenwood → The Catwalk · 5 mi · 0 h 06 minOvernight nearby, for example: Bighorn Campground (4 mi); Cottonwood Campground (17 mi).
- Day 5: The Catwalk → Very Large Array · 103 mi · 1 h 50 minOvernight nearby, for example: Datil Well Recreation Area Campground (15 mi); Bear Trap Campground (15 mi).
When is the best time for Gila Wilderness?
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and October–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in February, May and December. Hot in June–September. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
More routes for the best months
Practical guides for this route
Photo by Malivez on UnsplashDriving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel
Photo by Aleksandr Dalakian on UnsplashFuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers
Photo by Tracy Zhang on UnsplashUS national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms
Themes
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FAQs
How long is Gila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array?
5-day road trip of about 349 km (217 mi) with 7 stops, from City of Rocks State Park to Very Large Array. About 3 h 52 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Gila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array?
We suggest 5 days: about 3 h 52 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Gila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array start and end?
It starts in City of Rocks State Park and ends in Very Large Array.
Which states does Gila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array pass through?
New Mexico.
Where can you camp along Gila Wilderness: cliff dwellings, a catwalk and the Very Large Array?
OpenStreetMap lists 41 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Silver City RV Park, Mesa Campground and Upper End Campground.
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