Read Jackie's "Hiking in the Gila" trail guide!

Jim and Jackie have hiked and backpacked about 90% of the trails in the Gila National Forest.

We’re glad to give our guests our personal recommendations to the best scenic trails. We’ve made our own guide to our favorite hiking trails, which is available for our guests.

The Gila, a land of contrast and diversity, is a splendid place for hiking in all seasons. Mountain peaks will beckon you and the trails that follow the crest of the Black Range offer spectacular, boundless vistas. Far below, hidden canyons of cliffs and spires where eagles and ravens soar; wind their serpentine way to the far distant plains.

You’ll marvel at this unique country. Shear volcanic cliffs tower above river corridors. Pinnacles of rock rise from the mountainsides like dragons teeth. Hidden desert springs provide a focal point for wildlife and the activities of ancient peoples and frontier miners. Grasslands and pinon/juniper woodlands skirt the mountains. Pine and aspen forests grace the peaks. Blue mountains blend into blue skies on the horizon.

If you have a passion to hike the backbone of the continent, the Continental Divide Trail is near Silver City and one of the trailheads is only a fifteen-minute drive from the KOA. Many sections of trail are new and offer outstanding day hikes.

You won’t find trailhead parking lots crammed with cars. You will find great beauty, solitude, and wonderful trails. A large portion of the Gila National Forest is in Grant County and has an extensive system of maintained trails. The forest includes the 558,065-acre Gila Wilderness, and the 202,016-acre Aldo Leopold Wilderness.

Come stay with us at our Silver City KOA and enjoy the best hiking in Southwestern New Mexico.