Lake Valley / Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway, January 2013

Beautiful mid-January weather in our SW corner of New Mexico prompted us to go camping along the Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway, New Mexico Highway 27. Along the Byway we claim a patch of desert for a couple nights.

I have Jim pose for a pic with the Byway signs. It's hard to get the guy to stop and get off his bike. We took a 50 mile ride through what was once Apache country. Apaches, miners, mounted calvery, all passed this way in the 1800's. Today a few remote cattle ranches shelter in the low hills were they can put down wells and hope for rains to bring life to this rough range.



The road meanders through gentle hills along the east side of the Black Range. A bikers dream; sunny day, light breeze, good pavement and only an occasional vehicle.











 Along the way thorny desert shrub and rock-crowned hills claw at the empty sky. Even with the road it's a lonely place. You have to take its bleak beauty for it's own value.

I imagin the Apache hid in these hills as miners and supply wagons passed by. They would never be seen until the fatal surprise.

Our ride takes us into the Black Range with steep climbs and tree covered peaks.

Back at the Sprinter after the sun and fun, clouds move in to color days end in a veil of deepening light. Peaceful.

Lake Valley. Silver was discovered in Lake Valley in 1878 but the boom didn't happen until 1882 when the "Bridal Chamber was discovered just 40 ft from the surface. The town boomed to 4,000 with a railroad, hotels, stores, school, church and (of course) a brothel. This is one of 2 last surviving homes in Lake Valley. Though wind swept and tumbling down you can still imagine people living prosperous lives here.

A few ruined walls and outbuildings remain. The rest of the town was consumed by fire. The final death of the town came when President Grover Cleveland replaced silver with gold as the monetary standard.

The new and the old. This is the 2nd of the two remaining homes and our "mobile" home.

 

Plaques mark significant sites around Lake Valley. They're very well done and relate the history, people and give you a really good idea of the life and times.

This is the Bridal Chamber plaque. Looks like a really scary mine doesn't it?

Here's the school house which has been renovated and serves as the museum.

Inside the school house are artifact exhibits, maps, and wonderful children's art on the walls above the black boards. The desk tops have carvings made on the sly by students.

Lake Valley is BLM property and has been preserved of it's historical values. Charley Jurney and his wife are the care takers who live on the property. They'll open the school house for you and share the history and some good stories. It's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more info contact. The BLM District Office in Las Cruces, NM. 575-5234300.

Happy travels,
Jackie