No Signal, No Stress: Hillsboro’s Backcountry Gold
- Unplug Magazine
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
By Ben and Wyn Rural Explorers
Instagram: @ruralexplorersSubstack: nomadhermit.substack.com
Hillsboro, New Mexico, is a town that time mostly forgot—especially when you realize you can't get a signal on your smartphone. If that sounds like a good thing, Hillsboro is calling.
Less than 20 miles west of Interstate 25 in southwestern New Mexico, Hillsboro is a short drive up two-lane NM 152 that leads into the foothills of the Black Range. The highway, part of the scenic Germonio Trail National Scenic Byway, serves as a time machine.
When you pull into Hillsboro (population 124, give or take), it feels like you’ve entered an alternative reality. It seems like a ghost town, but it doesn't. The town’s stuck somewhere between the past and the future in a perpetual “now” all of its own.
Though you won’t get a phone signal or find a gas station in Hillsboro, you can tune into something more ancient and meaningful: The power of nature.
Hillsboro is a hiker’s dream. You can take a historic stroll through the Old West town or a strenuous jaunt into the Gila National Forest. Depending on the level of your need for adventure, your hike can last several hours or days.
A section of the Southwestern New Mexico Birdring Trail stretches ten miles from Hillsboro to another living ghost town, Kingston. Depending on the season, birdwatchers can spot the Western Scrub-Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Canyon Towhee, Cassin’s Kingbird, Hepatic Tanager and many others.
If you’re looking for an off-grid connection—the kind that plugs you into the pulse of the West—find yourself in Hillsboro.
Outlaws and Gold
The town got its start back in April of 1877, when two prospectors discovered gold along Percha Creek. Almost overnight, a tent city sprang up like a springtime weed, complete with hundreds of miners and saloons.
At the peak of mining, the area produced millions in gold and silver. Where there’s gold, there’s greed—and outlaws. Butch Cassidy and the Kingston Gang once walked the streets of the town.
Hillsboro’s early years witnessed Apache raids, including those by the legendary Warm Springs Chief Nana, who was married to Geronimo's sister.
There is a presence in Hillsboro, an independent spirit like that of Sadie Orchard, who worked as a prostitute and a successful businesswoman in Hillsboro at the turn of the twentieth century. One writer observed, “For a bad woman, Sadie was one of the best.”
Hillsboro is one of the best towns that time forgot because the Wild West is alive and well there.
Get Walking
Take a weekend stroll down Hillsboro’s main street, and you’ll be walking through history. Many locations on the Hillsboro Walking Tour Map are on the National Register of Historic Places:
Black Range Museum: Housed in the old Ocean Grove Hotel, once run by Sadie Orchard.
John M. Webster House (1893): Adobe Victorian-style home of one of yesteryear's movers and shakers.
George T. & Ninette Stocker Miller House (1894): Crafted from black slag blocks from smelter waste in the mining heyday.
Percha Creek Bridge (1927): A historic steel truss bridge listed on the National Register, still standing just west of town.
For those looking for a bit more of a strenuous hike replete with wildlife (javelina, bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes), there’s a slew of trails in the area:
Hillsboro Peak is a 10.2-mile trail for those looking for a workout. It takes about 5.5 hours to complete.
Percha Box is a moderate hike of about 4.5 miles.
Sawyer's Peak trail runs 7.8 miles and is considered moderate.
Lake Valley Ghost Town Trail on the Backcountry Byway is an easy walk that is a little less than a mile.
Lake Valley Monument Peak Loop is considered moderate and runs for 2.1 miles.
Local Flavor
The Hillsboro community has a charm all of its own. The locals are friendly, and you’re likely to hear a good yarn or two if you stop by The Hillsboro Trading Post or General Store Cafe. There’s a small RV Park that offers vintage trailer rentals.
Summertime Hillsboro boasts a farmer’s market complete with local banjo pickers and musicians. There’s a Fall Festival, Christmas in the Foothills, and so much more.
Once you experience Hillsboro, you’ll want to do it again. Step out of the rat race into a backcountry pace that ushers the past into a golden “now” all of its own.
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