Virtual Tour: Northern Route


  Travel Advice The Northern Route On the Rio Grande The Southern Route


A map of the northern segment of the Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway



Beaverhead,
a forest service camp, is the end of pavement for the Black Range entrance to the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, a part of the 3 million square mile Gila National Forest.  Both fire and trail crew personnel are stationed at the camp seasonally and it has outdoor bathrooms and potable water.   Motorized vehicles are not allowed in the Wilderness area but from here you can explore on foot, horseback or mountain bike.  No camping is allowed in the administrative site but when the office is staffed, maps and information on facilities are available.

     Camping Available     Hiking Available     Wildlife Watching / Birdwatching  Fishing

Elk at Beaverhead Work Camp

Wall Lake

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Forest Development Road 150
  is no longer a part of the Byway but it remains a side trip for those with high clearance, 4-wheel drive and a sense of adventure. FDR 150 travels through the Aldo Leopold Wilderness creating a loop back to the southern portion of the Byway at Hwy 35 which will take you to San Lorenzo and southern end of the Byway. Highlights on FDR 150 include a scenic view of Wall Lake (closed to the public), Diamond Creek and Black Canyon Trails, several campgrounds and access points to the Continental Divide Trail.   FDR 150 is closed during the winter months.

 

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
  (CDT), a side trip, crosses Rt. 59 near Beaverhead and cuts across the center ridgeline of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness then into the Gila National Forest. The pristine landscape with deep canyons, tree covered peaks and spectacular vista points offer a rich and unique experience in nature.  The area abounds with deer, elk, wild turkey, and birds plus mountain vegetation.

 

Camping Available     Hiking Available     Wildlife Watching

 
   

Monticello Box
 

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Monticello Box & Ojo Caliente
A side trip, about 9 miles north of the junction of NM 59 on NM 52, brings you to the site of the army camp for the Warm Springs Apache Reservation and the location where Geronimo was captured in 1877.  Located on private property, the site is visible from the dirt road where you can view the cut in the hill which is Monticello Box canyon. There are few remains of the old fort.  High clearance vehicles are recommended and a respect for No Trespassing signs.

     Hiking

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Winston, New Mexico

Winston

 

Scenes from Winston. New Mexico


Winston Historic District's old houses, stores, and buildings date from late 1800s during the boom days of silver mines in the area.  At its height the town had a population of over three thousand but now this area, once homeland to Warm Spring Apaches, is used for good grazing for the cattle industry and open range cattle are often seen walking on the road.

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A Community Fiesta with a parade, barbecue, flea market, cow-chip poker and a dance is held yearly in June.

    


Chloride
was founded in 1879 when silver chloride ore was discovered, and at its height had three thousand residents. Like other silver-producing towns in the region, it was wiped out during the silver panic of 1893, precipitated by the U.S. government selecting gold as the monetary standard. Today, the old buildings are being restored and the Pioneer Store is now a world-class museum listed on the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs' list of Historic Places. The Monte Cristo Saloon & Dance Hall, next door to the Museum, is now a beautiful gallery and gift store.


    Hiking    Camping

 



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The Church at Cuchillo

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Cuchillo
, named for nearby Cuchillo Negro (Black Knife) Creek, which in turn took its name from a local Apache chief, was settled by Hispanic farmers and ranchers in the 1850s. It became a stop for the stagecoach line and a resting place for travelers in the late 1800s, being midway between the railroad in Engle and the mines near Chloride and Winston.  



Panoramic view of Monticello

Monticello

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Monticello is laid out in traditional Spanish style, with a church and other structures surrounding a central plaza. The outer walls of the perimeter buildings were thick adobe with gunsight holes for defense, and the remains of the old adobe town walls are still visible. Today the land supports organic farming and the plaza is a small community park. San Ignacio Catholic Church, built in 1867, still stands on the north side and is used regularly. There are no stores or facilities available, and all buildings are on private property.
    Hiking

 

WPA built School at Monticello
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