Lower Gila Box

November 21, 2023

We've returned to this area many times since stumbling upon it during an exploration of the Lower Middle Box WSA in 2019.

Returning with our new Silver-City-based hiking group, the #GilaHikers.

The trail is mostly a gentle walk, with some interesting scrambling over rounded white tuff at the top of the canyon.

This area is full of bedrock mortars. We always take a moment to imagine a group of Mimbres women, sitting by the river, grinding corn and telling stories.

Farther down the canyon the white tuff gives way to rhyolite.

The giant cottonwoods emerge as we approach the Gila River.

The walls rise higher and higher, until some sections are almost tunnel-like.

At the river.

Cinnamon-swirl rock formations.

Heading out.