Welcome to Mogollon. I’m saying that upfront, because when you arrive at this remote spot in the Gila National Forest, there may not to be anyone to greet you! See, Mogollon is a ghost town.
Mogollon was founded at the end of the 19th century. It was even more isolated then than it is now. The stagecoach took a full day to make the journey from Silver City to Mogollon, which was never connected to a railway line.
Wikimedia Commons/Gila National Forest
Mogollon evolved from a mining settlement into a fairly prosperous silver and gold mining town. Much of this bounty came from the Little Fanny Mine (pictured).
Flickr/Flickr/mlhradio
Wikimedia Commons/Russell Lee
Mogollon, which was built on the banks of Silver Creek, offered a surprising amount of amenities. Here is what it looked like in 1914.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown It boasted a bank, post office, jail, schoolhouse, stores, and restaurants.
Like many mining towns, it had a reputation as a rowdy place, with several saloons and brothels.
This is Mogollon in 1940.
Wikimedia Commons/Lee, Russell At its peak, between 3000 and 6000 people lived here.
Even in its heyday, life in Mogollon was tough. There were floods most years when the snow melted, and at least five fires swept through town. Mining accidents claimed some lives, while illness ended others.
Tripadvisor/ChristStewart1
So it’s not surprising that the Mogollon Cemetery seems large compared to the size of the town.
Tripadvisor/jamf92
The Graveyard Gulch hike connects Mogollon with the cemetery, which is located a little over a mile outside town.
Tripadvisor/jamf92
Fanny Road is off the NM-159. Just follow this road and eventually veer right until you arrive at the cemetery. Here is a map with GPS coordinates.
Tripadvisor/ChristStewart1
The hike takes you past abandoned buildings on the way up to the cemetery.
Tripadvisor/ChristStewart1
After mining operations ended in the 1970s, Mogollon declined, gradually becoming the ghost town you see today. After your hike, take some time to wander through what remains of this town.
Tripadvisor/TexasPetra
You’ll notice that some efforts to revitalize Mogollon are underway.
Tripadvisor/ChicknAmy During the summer months this little restaurant, The Purple Onion, and a local history museum are open (usually on weekends).
Mogollon is one of New Mexico’s better preserved ghost towns and walking through here is like stepping back through history to a past long gone, but not forgotten.
Tripadvisor/SixPipes
Mogollon is one of several ghost towns in southwestern New Mexico. If you’d like to view more of them, here is a ghost town road trip which links each place together in a convenient loop.
Wikimedia Commons/Gila National Forest
Flickr/Flickr/mlhradio
Wikimedia Commons/Russell Lee
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
It boasted a bank, post office, jail, schoolhouse, stores, and restaurants.
Like many mining towns, it had a reputation as a rowdy place, with several saloons and brothels.
Wikimedia Commons/Lee, Russell
At its peak, between 3000 and 6000 people lived here.
Tripadvisor/ChristStewart1
Tripadvisor/jamf92
Tripadvisor/TexasPetra
Tripadvisor/ChicknAmy
During the summer months this little restaurant, The Purple Onion, and a local history museum are open (usually on weekends).
Tripadvisor/SixPipes
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