Living in a new region of Texas has given us the opportunity to hear about new places we wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. One of the places we heard about from several people was Silver City and the Gila National Forest & Wilderness in New Mexico. It has been on our West Texas bucket list for a while, but now that our time is coming to a close we’re trying to squeeze in some last minute trips. We turned a bad weather makeup day into a 4-day weekend and set out for Silver City, a mere 5 hour drive from Marfa.

We rolled into town mid-afternoon with plenty of time to explore the town. We wanted to keep it cheap so we decided to pitch our tent in the grassy area of the Silver City RV Park – only $15/night. It was a nice spot only a few blocks from the downtown historic district. We set up for the night and then set out to see the town and indulge a little.

Set up at the RV park

We spent the afternoon strolling the streets. We ducked into several art studios, spent some time at a coffee shop, and had a long conversation with man about antler carvings. Though the sky was overcast, the weather was pleasant and the town was charming. Inevitably we ended up at the local brewpub, Little Toad Creek, for a couple of beers and a snack.

For dinner we had different plans: the Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House. A little ways out of town in Pinos Altos, the Buckhorn is a well-known attraction which dates back to the 1870s. The building has been renovated in recent years but still holds its old west charm with dim interior lighting, a massive wooden bar, and tasteful nude paintings displayed around the room. After a filling dinner, we decided to call it a night and head back to our tent to rest up for the next few days.

Buckhorn Saloon