New Mexico’s Ghost Town of Mogollon

Hello Everyone!! Today’s post is sort of a follow up to my most recent post about New Mexico’s Catwalk. Now I know what you’re all wondering…how in the heck do you pronounce that word?????? Mogollon is pronounced Mogey-yone. Now, instead of looking like a fool for pronouncing it wrong, you can be the one making someone else look like a fool!

Now that we got that out of the way, I can describe to you exactly why it is that you want to visit this place!

Mogollon, NM lies in the Mogollon mountain range which is in the southwest corner of New Mexico. It lies a little over an hour and a half from Silver City and makes an excellent destination for a day trip! According to local history, Mogollon was home to up to 6,000 residents during the mining heyday and was said to be a wild town. It’s hard to imagine 6,000 people making this small ghost town their home, as it’s in a very remote and narrow canyon. Now days there are a handful of year round residents keeping the town alive! The attractions that most people come to Mogollon for are only open on weekends between May and October.  Attractions include a museum, a General Store for shopping, a historic theatre and the Purple Onion Café.  I’ve been here a few times and I definitely think it’s worth seeing if you are in the Silver City area!

DIrections: (from Silver City) Head west on HWY-180W for about 63 miles (If you hit Alma you have gone too far).  Turn right on NM-159. (The turnoff is well marked from the highway) Follow 159 for about 9 miles and you will find yourself in Mogollon.

Tips:

• As previously stated, if you are coming for the historic attractions and café, make sure and plan your trip on a weekend day between May and October.
• Make sure and check the weather before heading to Mogollon as the area is susceptible to flash floods. (Monsoon season is typically between July and August). There have been times where I’ve driven out here and the road was closed.
• I definitely recommend eating at the Purple Onion Cafe! They have good food and excellent pies for dessert!
• Be aware that once you exit 180 the drive is a narrow ascent/descent into the canyon. The road is a two lane road with one stretch that feels more like a one way road, so drive carefully
• If you don’t plan on eating at the Purple Onion Cafe make sure and bring plenty of snacks and drinks. Mogollon is kind of in the middle of nowhere!
• With remoteness in mind, the last time I was in the area (2017) the only working gas station around was in Alma, which is a little further down 180 past the turnoff for Mogollon. The gas station did have an attached restaurant (I’m not sure of the hours of operation) and a convenient store inside.
• Mogollon lies amongst the Gila National Forest, and if you have the proper vehicle, I highly suggest continuing on through town and taking a drive toward Snow Lake. It’s some of the prettiest scenery in the area!
• If you visit in late July or August there will most likely be some wildflowers from the monsoon season!
• Consider making this attraction part of a day trip that includes The Catwalk which is in Glenwood. You will literally pass it to and from Mogollon so you might as well go!

Here are several photos of what awaits you in Mogollon!!

The visitor center was a nice place to look around and the lady who ran it was very friendly and informative!

I definitely recommend eating at the Purple Onion Cafe!!

As the sign says, the Cafe is the home to the second best pies in Catron County. Now I know number two doesn’t sound that impressive, but the number one pies in Catron County are made in Pietown, NM. Can you fault them for losing to pies that are made in a town that is literally named after pies???

The theatre in the above picture is being restored from what I heard…should be a cool addition to the town! It’s Mogollon’s oldest surviving building!

Caught these butterflies outside the Visitor Center!

The above picture shows how beautiful the drive is! I really enjoyed visiting this little town and highly recommend it as a way to spend the day of you are in the area!

Let me know what you guys think!!

Until next time!!