Horseback Ride to Fort Bayard with Joe Saenz

Rides offered every day - Monday, September 19 through Friday, September 23, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Participant limit: 4, Fee $80 Please contact WolfHorse Outfitters directly to book your ride at 575.534.1379.

Meet at WolfHorse Camp, 125 Arena Valley Road, Arenas Valley, NM at 9:30 am Travel time: 10 - 15 minutes from Silver City.

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ride through the quiet and scenic foothills of the Pinos Altos Range in the heart of Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache country. Explore the creek valleys, meadows and Native sites of the Fort Bayard Elk Refuge and Dragonfly Trail.

Your guide is Joe Saenz, Warm Springs Apache, of WolfHorse Outfitters. All levels of riders are welcome. Please wear sturdy comfortable clothing, hat, bandana, and gloves, and provide your own water and snacks.

The Winged Residents of the Gila River at Iron Bridge Preserve with John Gorey

Saturday, Sept. 24th, 8:00am - 12:00pm, Participant limit: 15, Fee: $30

Meet at The Nature Conservancy Iron Bridge Preserve in Riverside at 8 am.  Travel time: 30-40 minutes each way.  Expect to walk around 2-3 miles round trip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: From Silver City – Take US Hwy 180 west toward Cliff. In approximately 27.5 miles, take a left onto Iron Bridge Road (just after you cross the Gila River). This is the second turn off to Iron Bridge Road (3.5 miles past Bill Evans Lake Road and about 1.8 miles past the first Iron Bridge Road turnoff). Proceed about 0.4 mile from the intersection and you’ll see a parking area on the left.

Come join us on a journey of winged biodiversity as we explore the avian residents and migrants of the Upper Gila Watershed.  This area lies at a perfect middle elevation where virtually any bird species can present itself.  September is the end of the summer monsoon season when birds fledge their young, butterflies abound, and early migrants start to show up.  We will see what exciting birds and butterflies we can find in this lush riparian zone.

The Iron Bridge Preserve is a meandering stretch of the Gila River that provides a wide array of ever-changing riparian habitat.  Common Mergansers fish the river bends.  Common Black Hawks nest in multiple locations as do Willow Flycatchers and Yellow-billed Cuckoos.  So many animals count on this protected space that you never know what will be around the next river bend.

Please bring a hat, sunscreen, good hiking shoes, snacks, lunch, and plenty of drinking water. Binoculars and a bird identification guide can be helpful. 

Burro Ciénaga Restoration in a Time of Escalating Climate Change, with A.T. and Cinda Cole

Saturday, Sept. 24. 9:00am – 2:00pm, Participant limit: 11, Fee: $30

Meet at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center at 7:45 am, caravan to Pitchfork Ranch. Travel time: Approximately one hour each way.

PLEASE NOTE: Pitchfork Ranch owners/field trip leaders will require proof of vaccination to participate in the Burro Cienaga field trip on their private property. If you are participating in that field trip, please email a scan or photo of your COVID-19 vaccine card or report from vaxviewnm.org to gilariverfest@gmail.com.

Difficulty level: Moderate

The 8.5-miles of the 48-mile-long Burro Ciénaga on the Pitchfork Ranch can be seen as a microcosm of the Gila River, providing habitat for at-risk species and all manner of flora and fauna. Both water courses suffer the same history.

Scientists have identified 21 natural climate solutions that can accomplish 37% of the Paris Climate Accord's climate-crisis goals. They have also determined that while wetlands (peatlands, mangroves, salt marshes, ciénagas and marine marshes) cover only 1% of the earth’s surface, they conserve 20% of the world’s organic carbon.  Around the world these ecosystems face a yearly average of 1% man-made loss rates. Wetlands store about five times more CO2 than forests and as much as 500 times more than oceans, thus creating bright spots of conservation and restoration that offer an attractive contribution to reducing global heating.

We have been restoring this land since retiring here in 2004 and believe everyone can do this restoration anywhere.

There are two side-by-sides available, so participants need not use their own car on the property.  Warning: this is not a trip for those with tight schedules!

Local Pollinators and Larval Host Plants of Signal Peak, with Don Graves, President of the Gila Native Plant Society.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 8:00am – 12:00pm, Participant limit: 12, Fee: $30

Group will meet at 8:00am at Forest Road 154 (Signal Peak Road) parking area. The road is good, but steep in places and vehicles should have medium to high clearance.  Participants will make stops along Signal Peak Road, with approximate walking distance 1 mile.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Directions: From Silver City, head north on NM Hwy 15 (towards Pinos Altos), go past Pinos Altos, turn right onto Signal Peak Road (FR#154 ). Meet in the large parking lot on the left, a short distance from the turnoff.

There is an evolutionary bond between native plants and the pollinators that ensure not only their survival, but the survival of a whole host of ecosystem components.  Join us on this exploration of Signal Peak, from the bottom wet meadow to the coniferous forest at the top.  Along the way, we will experience these pollinators and native plants in an attempt to better understand this fragile ecosystem. 

Participants will also learn strategies to help bring this diversity to their own yards and landscaped spaces.

Walking difficulty is moderate, with loose gravel and rock. 

Getting the Big Picture - Hell’s Half Acre - Photography Field Trip with landscape photographer Jay Hemphill - FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Saturday, Sept. 24, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm, Participant limit: 12, Fee: $30.00  

Meet at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center at 8:00 am to caravan to the approach point; return to the Visitor Center by 3 pm. Travel time: 40 minutes from Silver City. 4WD is suggested.

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Hell’s Half Acre is a box canyon and dizzying array of slot canyons offering myriad sculpted rock forms and faces. Learn to see a complex landscape and the forces that shape it. Guided by seasoned photographer Jay Hemphill, whose experience exploring and photographing in the Gila offer a rich perspective. The hike is 3.2 miles round trip with 750 feet elevation gain. Participants should be in excellent hiking condition.

Please bring a hat, sunscreen, two hiking poles for steep slopes, snacks, lunch, and plenty of drinking water. 4WD is suggested.

Also bring your questions and your camera or just fresh eyes.

Commune with the Forest - Forest Bathing Walk with Theresa Lewis

Saturday, Sept. 24th 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Participant limit: 14, Fee: $30 (also offered Sunday)

NEW LOCATION - Meet at the Gila River Bird Area at Pancho Canyon at 9:00 am. Travel time: Approximately 45 minutes from Silver City.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Directions: From Silver City – Take US Hwy 180 west toward the village of Gila. In approximately 24 miles, take a left onto Bill Evans Lake Road.  In approximately 3.5 miles, you will come to a “Y” in the road.  Bear right on the dirt road (Newby Road). In about a mile you will cross Mangas Creek. Continue straight. In about 0.9 mile the road will make a sharp bend to the left. In about 0.2 mile take a right onto the dirt road at Forest Road #4081Y. It turns sharply to the right down Pancho Canyon. Follow it to the end where you will meet your field trip.

Join certified Shinrin Yoku guide Theresa Lewis for this peaceful forest bathing walk through the lush riparian bosque of the Gila River Bird Area. 

What is Shinrin Yoku? It is a mindfulness practice, originated in Japan (Shinrin Yoku literally translates to “forest bathing”), that takes participants along a slow, gentle, sensory journey through a wooded or natural space.  A Standard Sequence is followed that is aimed at bringing participants out of their heads and back into their bodies, all while enjoying the nurturing embrace of nature. 

Shinrin Yoku has been practiced in Japan for over a decade, where it is common practice for doctors to prescribe Shinrin Yoku walks to their patients. It has been clinically proven to have a positive effect on overall health and well-being, including increasing the body’s immune response through the formation of Natural Killer Cells, lowering blood pressure, and creating an overall “re-set” to the mind, body, and soul. 

Please bring water, snacks, good walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen.

Gila Lower Box Rock Art with Alex Mares and Michael Darrow - 3 SPACES LEFT!

Saturday, Sept. 24th, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm Participant limit: 10. Fee: $30
Meet at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center at 6:45 a.m., and drive to a side canyon of the Gila Lower Box. Travel time: about 1.5 hrs. each way.

Difficulty level: difficult.

This field trip will visit a side canyon of the Gila River, where a prehistoric petroglyph site of Apache origin will be visited. Group will explore, learn about and discuss the relationships that both pre-historic and historic peoples have had with the area as a result of the presence of water through seeps and springs, and the Gila River.

The group will investigate through storytelling and interpretation of both natural and cultural features, the intimate spiritual and cultural uses of the Gila River by native peoples and how these uses are and will be affected by climate change.

The field trip leaders will facilitate a deeper understanding of the ecological systems and services created and provided by the Gila River and its tributaries, and the peoples dependence in the past, present, and future.

Farming with the Wild, with Martha Cooper and Dr. Wendel Hann, The Nature Conservancy - CANCELLED

Saturday, Sept. 24th, 9:30 am -1:00 pm, Participant limit: 20, Fee: $30

Meet at 400 Highway 211 in Gila at 9:30am. Final destination is 2 miles further down the road. Travel time: 35-40 minutes from Silver City.

Directions:

Come visit the Gila River to learn how irrigated agriculture fits into our management objectives and contributes to The Nature Conservancy’s conservation strategies. We will tour The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Agnew Tract of the Gila River Preserve and talk about different components of the property. 

The Agnew Tract was purchased in 2001 with federal funding for federally-listed endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher; we will tour this habitat and discuss flycatcher and yellow-billed cuckoo population trends in the Cliff-Gila Valley. 

Dr. Wendel Hann, agricultural partner with TNC, will talk about his ranching business and the values that guide his stewardship of this property and the Gila River Farm. We will also discuss the pros and cons of irrigation diversion structures, floodplain irrigation, management of non-irrigated fields and agricultural restoration economics and look at the Gila Farm ditch diversion.

Please bring a hat, shoes that can get wet, water, snacks, lunch, and sunscreen. 

People are welcome to bring lunch and sit by the river after the trip.

The River is Life – for the Mimbrenos of the Past and Mimbrenos Today, with Marilyn Markel, Grant County Archaeological Society

Saturday, Sept. 24th, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Participant limit: 20, Fee: $30

Meet at the Mimbres Culture Heritage Site, 12 Sage Drive, Mimbres, NM at 10 am - NEW START TIME

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: Take US Hwy 180 East, go past the Ft. Bayard/Santa Clara intersection and turn LEFT on NM Hwy 152 E. toward Mimbres Valley. Turn LEFT on NM Hwy 35 North. Proceed for 3.8 miles. Take a RIGHT onto Sage Drive. The Mimbres Culture Heritage Site is on the right, approximately 0.2 mi. from the turnoff.

Tour the Mattocks Archaeological Site with archaeologist Marilyn Markel and learn about the importance of the river to the Mimbres people who lived in the Mimbres Valley from about 200 AD to 1150 AD, the natural resources used, and why the Mimbres migrated out of the region. 

The Prehistoric and later historic people used the river for agriculture and other purposes. The river is why people lived in the valley in the past and why we live here today, connecting us all together.

After the tour, feel free to visit the wonderful Mimbres Culture Heritage Site museum and gift shop.

Family Adventure at The Nature Conservancy Gila River Farm, with Elysha Montoya, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Heart of the Gila FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Saturday 9:30 am-2:00 pm, Participant limit: 25, Fee: FREE, but registration required.

Meet at the Pizza Hut Parking Lot on Route 180 in Silver City at 9:30 am to caravan to the Gila River Farm.

This event is a half-day, outdoor adventure for children ages 5 and above and their caretakers. Bring the family for this exploration of the Gila River through hands-on learning activities, games and plenty of fun in the water. 

Some walking over uneven terrain – expect to get wet and muddy! 

Bring a lunch or snack, change of clothes for children, long pants for bugs, closed-toed shoes.

Butterflies of the Gila, with Ron Parry  - 3 SPACES LEFT!

Saturday 1:15 pm -5:00 pm, Participant limit: 15, Fee: $30

Meet at Saddle Rock Canyon at 1:00 pm, return to Silver City by 5:00 pm. Travel time: 30-45 minutes each way. 

Difficulty level: Moderate

Directions: From Silver City, take Hwy 180W toward Glenwood. Saddle Rock Canyon is 13 miles distant from the town. Turn left on Saddle Rock Canyon Rd. and meet at the Gila National Forest boundary (approximately 1.3 miles down the road) at the pullout on the left on the other side of the cattle guard. The drive will be sandy, usually passable in an ordinary car, but the monsoon rains can make it difficult. All cars should bring a shovel just in case.  Ron will check it out before the trip.

The anthropologist Loren Eiseley once wrote: “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.”  The truth of this statement is easily verified by walking along the streams and rivers of the Gila bioregion with an attentive mind.  The water in these areas nourishes a remarkable degree of biodiversity that includes many beautiful and interesting butterflies.  This field trip will provide an introduction to some of these butterflies, as we explore one of the local riparian areas.

In addition to a hat and water, participants should bring binoculars.

Ron Parry is a retired biochemist with a lifelong interest in natural history and environmental issues.

The Winged Residents of the Gila River, with John Gorey FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Sunday, Sept. 25th, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, Participant limit: 12, Fee: $30

NEW LOCATION - Meet at The Nature Conservancy’s Gila River Farm at 8am.  Travel time: about 45 minutes each way from Silver City. 

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: Take Hwy 180 west toward the town of Gila. There are two turnoffs to Hwy 211. Pass the first one and continue toward Cliff. Turn right onto Hwy 211. You’ll pass the Cliff School on your left and head over a hill. At the bottom of this hill, bear left on Hwy 293, aka Box Canyon Rd. Proceed for approximately 4 miles. Just past mile marker 4, turn right into the driveway and proceed straight into the parking area at the Gila River Farm.

Come join us on a journey of winged biodiversity as we explore the avian residents and migrants of the Upper Gila Watershed.  This area lies at a perfect middle elevation where virtually any bird species can present itself.  September is the end of the summer monsoon season when birds fledge their young, butterflies abound, and early migrants start to show up.  We will see what exciting birds and butterflies we can find in this lush riparian zone.

The Gila River and is a vital breeding area for many sensitive bird species that are rare in most of the state but abundant along the pristine Gila River.  The giant sycamores provide nesting habitat for many bird species from the tiny Elf Owl to the newest residents, the Sulphur-bellied flycatcher.

Please bring a hat, sunscreen, good hiking shoes, snacks, lunch, and plenty of drinking water.

Fly Fishing for Gila Trout, with Jeff Arterburn from Trout Unlimited - FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Sunday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, Participant limit: 12, Fee: $30

Meet at 8 am at the Catwalk Recreation Area, Glenwood, NM.  Parking area is approximately 5 miles from Glenwood, NM, at the end of NM Hwy 174 (Catwalk Road). There is a $3 daily parking/usage fee for each vehicle. Travel time: ~1hr to Whitewater Creek at Catwalk Recreation Area via US-180 Field trip will end at 2pm to be back in Silver City by ~3pm. 

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: Take US 180W from Silver City toward Glenwood. Proceed approximately 60 miles to Glenwood. Turn right on NM-174 and proceed 3.9 miles to the parking lot at the Catwalk Recreation Area.

Trout live in beautiful places, and the native Gila trout has uniquely adapted to life over thousands of years in the cold waters that form the Gila River. Climate change threatens the survival of Gila trout with decreasing winter snowpacks needed for flowing streams, increasing water temperatures that cross lethal limits, and combined with drought create conditions for large-scale wildfires that can impact entire watersheds. Gila trout need good stream habitat with deep pools and shade to survive, free from competition with non-native trout and other invasive species. Fly fishing with catch and release methods provides a gentle connection to these special fish and helps us to understand their needs, while motivating our actions for conservation and habitat restoration work to ensure healthy populations. 

This field trip will introduce the methods and techniques of fly fishing with special focus on how to fish the small streams where Gila trout live. We will provide the equipment needed and can assess personal gear for participants who bring their own. 

Participants should be equipped for getting their feet wet crossing a small stream, and pack sack lunches.

A Wild and Scenic Hike at the Gila River Bird Area at River View with Nathan Small of NM Wild - FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Sunday, Sept. 25th, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Participant limit: 8. Fee: $30. 

UPDATE: Because of the heavy monsoon and severe flooding on the Gila River, we have had to modify this hike due to road washouts and trail conditions. The road to Forest Trail #745 is in poor condition and the trail is washed out. Instead, we will be caravanning to River View trailhead just outside of the Gila Middle Box where you'll experience the wild and scenic values of this reach of the Gila River. The road to this area is passable by passenger vehicle. No 4WD/high clearance vehicle is needed. Wear long pants due to thick riparian vegetation.

Meet at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center in Silver City at 8:00 am to caravan to the trailhead at River View and return to Silver City by 1:00 pm. Travel time: Approximately 45 minutes each way.

Difficulty level: Moderate.

The Gila River Bird Area is located south of the towns of Cliff and Gila.  The scenery found all along the Gila River in this area is remarkably attractive. Fremont cottonwood, narrow leaf cottonwood, Arizona sycamore, and willows characterize the area’s beauty, and in many ways, the riverine solitude offers an unforgettable and tranquil journey into the subtle essence of Gila River country.

Please bring a hat, shoes that can get wet, water, snacks, and sunscreen. Binoculars and hiking poles optional.

Plant Ecology of the Gila Headwaters with Patrice Mutchnick, Heart of the Gila - FULL (please call 575.538.8078 to be placed on the waiting list)

Sunday, Sept. 25th, 9:30am - 2:00pm, Participant limit: 8 (10 if children), Fee: $30

Ends by 2 pm. Return to Silver City by 3:30 pm.

Meet at Grapevine Campground Trailhead sign board in the Day Use Parking Area at 9:30. The road down to the Trailhead is steep and dirt, but it's short. You can park up above along the road, just before the bridge if you have concerns.

UPDATE: Much has changed since the original field trip description was written. The significant flooding event a few weeks ago, on top of the soil loss from the Black Fire, sent significant amounts of mud and ash down the mainstem of the Gila and has made the downstream crossings from the trailhead unnavigable and dangerous. This field trip has been redesigned to explore these dramatic landscape events in several different areas along the Gila River upstream from the Trailhead. We will work our way upstream-crossing the river if we are able (more recent rains have raised river levels again), or driving to several spots in the valley where we can explore the riparian corridor and its diversity. We may also have time to explore a Gila River side canyon, which offers a different set of flora and habitat to explore.

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: The campground is located 40 miles north of Silver City on the east side of New Mexico Highway 15 between mile markers 37 and 38.

This half-day hike explores some of the headwaters of the Gila, where the three forks of the Gila - West, Middle and East- merge into the mainstem of the Gila River before flowing into the Gila Wilderness.  This is a moderate level hike with multiple river crossings, but no elevation gain.

The hike offers an immersive look at the Gila's stunning riparian habitat and will focus on understanding why trees, shrubs, and other plants, grow where they do, and how landscape level changes-like fire and flood-influence and change the flora of the river. These alterations in the landscape can occur suddenly - like with catastrophic flooding or fire - or over time, influenced by ecological shifts such as climate change.  The Gila River Trail, on the mainstem of the country's first "Wilderness River", passes through a habitat with high plant diversity and has dynamic examples of landscape level changes in action.

Bring lunch, snack, sun hat, closed toed shoes, and long pants recommended, along with a change of clothes.

One River: Many Faiths, Many Cultures, Many Voices

Gila River Blessing Ceremony

Sunday, September 25th, 10 am; The Nature Conservancy’s Iron Bridge Preserve, FREE, no registration required

Travel time from Silver City: 30-40 minutes each way. 

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From Silver City – Take US Hwy 180 west toward Cliff. In approximately 27.5 miles, take a left onto Iron Bridge Road (just after you cross the Gila River). This is the second turn off to Iron Bridge Road (3.5 miles past Bill Evans Lake Road and about 1.8 miles past the first Iron Bridge Road turnoff). Proceed about 0.4 mile from the intersection and you’ll see a parking area on the left.

The ceremony will be led by faith leaders from several traditions, including to date Claudia Elferdink (Unitarian Universalist), Norma Santos, Daniel Hernandez, and Athena Wolf (La Escuela de Curanderismo), Gwen Lacy (Gila Meeting of the Society of Friends), and elders and tribal leaders from the Nde (Chiricahua, Warm Springs, Bidanku, and Ndendaai). The Fort Sill Apache Fire Dancers with the Gooday Family will open the ceremony with a river blessing song. Former Grant County Poet Laureate Elise Stuart and Silver City poet Katherine West will read selections of their Gila poetry.

Please note that no seating is provided, so please bring a folding chair if you think you’ll need one.

The Beauty of Land and Water: A One-day Workshop to Learn the Art of Photopolymer Gravure, with Karen Hymer of Light Art Space Studio

Sunday, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Participant limit: 8, Fee: $185.00 (includes all supplies)

Meet at Light Art Space Studio, 209 W Broadway St, Silver City, Register through Light Art Space.

Transform your landscape images into stunning etchings. Learn the art of photopolymer gravure printing in this one-day intensive workshop! Using light-sensitive steel-backed Solarplates, participants will create 4 x 5 gravure etching prints from their photograph. This environmentally-friendly process translates photographic detail into ink on paper with unparalleled beauty.

No prior experience with printmaking is required. All necessary aspects of printmaking will be discussed including choosing inks, papers, and wiping material. Wiping and inking techniques will be covered. Be prepared to marvel at the way your photograph is transformed through ink on paper!

Ages 14 and up welcome, no experience needed.

Commune with the Forest - Forest Bathing Walk with Theresa Lewis

Sunday, Sept. 25th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Participant limit: 14, Fee: $30 (Also offered on Saturday)

Meet at The Nature Conservancy’s Gila River Farm. Travel time: about 45 minutes each way from Silver City. 

Directions: Take Hwy 180 west toward the town of Gila. There are two turnoffs to Hwy 211. Pass the first one and continue toward Cliff. Turn right onto Hwy 211. You’ll pass the Cliff School on your left and head over a hill. At the bottom of this hill, bear left on Hwy 293, aka Box Canyon Rd. Proceed for approximately 4 miles and turn right into the parking area at the Gila River Farm.

Join certified Shinrin Yoku guide Theresa Lewis for this peaceful forest bathing walk through the cottonwood bosque at The Nature Conservancy’s Gila River Farm.

What is Shinrin Yoku? It is a mindfulness practice, originated in Japan (Shinrin Yoku literally translates to “forest bathing”), that takes participants along a slow, gentle, sensory journey through a wooded or natural space.  A Standard Sequence is followed that is aimed at bringing participants out of their heads and back into their bodies, all while enjoying the nurturing embrace of nature. 

Shinrin Yoku has been practiced in Japan for over a decade, where it is common practice for doctors to prescribe Shinrin Yoku walks to their patients. It has been clinically proven to have a positive effect on overall health and well-being, including increasing the body’s immune response through the formation of Natural Killer Cells, lowering blood pressure, and creating an overall “re-set” to the mind, body, and soul. 

Please bring water, snacks, good walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen.