Highway 180 north from Silver City NM?

[TBRich]

Has anyone towed on Highway 180 between Silver City, NM and Eager, AZ through the Gila Wilderness Area... How's the road for towing? Any camping or RV park suggestions?

Any info would be appreciated...

[herrgirdner]

Used to be that the Gila Wilderness was closed to all motorized things.
But, when Iived in Las Cruces, 1965-1968, I towed a Kenskill 19 footer with my Dodge 3/4 ton around the road through Mogollon over to the Rio Grande. I'm sure the road has been improved since then. Bearwallow Cienega was a nice place to camp then.
regards

[SilverToy]

TB etal -

The Gila area is simply gorgeous! Spent a New Years week, 2 year ago, there and went all over that area with the kids. We however, pulled SilverToy to the KOA in Silver City. Really nice, QUIET! place and it was very conveniently located.

As an aside, there are LOTS of roads in the backcountry area there where large vehicles like RV are a seriously BAD idea. VERY twisty turny, extreme elevation changes/ dips that could hang up long combinations. You might call some of the local campgrounds in that area (or where ever you are thinking about going) and asking their opinions about this or that road. Since they are local and have an interest in RV friendly things, they should be able to offer better councel than most. Just a thought.

Enjoy that area! And be certain to get up INTO the Gila Cliff dwellings! and the CatWalk is another real "Must See" IMHO.

Axel
SilverToy

PS - consider getting over the the Carlsbad Caverns is time permits. WORTH the ride!

[pienjim]

two years ago our unit caravanned to Salem up that road. We had both motorhomes and up to 30-ft trailers. No problem driving the road whatsoever. We stayed at Luna Lake, a NFS campground just inside the Arizona line. It's a beautiful drive with lots to see along the way.

Paula

[TBRich]

Thanks for the input so far...we have been to Silver City and know of the KOA that you mention, Axel...looked like a nice place when we were there last. I don't think we'd try taking the Bambi on any back roads in the Wildernesss Area, but after "doing" the Silver City area, we might be interested in swinging north via highway 180 up to the White Mountains of Arizona...just wondering if that highway is OK and if there are any camping possibilities onlong it...without getting too far off the beaten path... Once we reach Eagar and areas a little west of Eager (Show Low) we will be in familiar turf.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by pienjim

two years ago our unit caravanned to Salem up that road. We had both motorhomes and up to 30-ft trailers. No problem driving the road whatsoever. We stayed at Luna Lake, a NFS campground just inside the Arizona line. It's a beautiful drive with lots to see along the way.

Paula

Thanks, Paula... Sounds like a nice summer time trip for us...when it's hot in our neck o' the woods...

[Ahab]

Yes we went that way last fall. They were re-doing some of the road surface on the NM side but I would guess it's finished by now. while we did not camp in that immediate area, we did notice many opportunities.

[Lumatic]

Check out the Catwalk and San Francisco Hot Springs near Glenwood.

Some years ago in a Westfalia I traveled from through the Gila from Mogollon to the VLA near Magadellena all on national forest roads. 150 miles without rubber touching pavement.

[TBRich]

Thanks for everyone's input! It's appreciated!