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| Little Bear Canyon |
• Middle Fork Trail – Day hikers can head to a hot springs on this 1-mile round trip trail. The Lightfeather Hot Springs boasts an average temperate of 130 F. Don't go into the springs, though – it contains an amoeba that causes a potentially fatal form of meningitis. The hikes includes two river crossings in which the water is about 2 feet deep. From the Gila Visitor Center parking lot, take the trail heading along the Middle Fork Gila River.
• Trail #160 – A ridge overlooking the West Fork of the Gila River and Little Creek awaits on this 6.5-mile round trip. The trail gains 970 feet in elevation. Start at the Woody's Corral Trailhead, about a mile from the visitor center on the road to the cliff dwellings.
• Little Bear Canyon Trail (aka Trail #729) – Hikers can walk through an otherworldly spring-fed slot canyon carved out by the Middle Fork Gila River on this 8.5-mile round trip hike. Be aware that only the final 0.44 miles of the hike is in the slot canyon. Start at the TJ Corral Trailhead, which is about a mile from the visitor center on the road to the cliff dwellings.
• Trail to the Past – The ruins of a single ancient Puebloan dwelling sit at the head of a canyon on this 0.5-mile round trip trail. The trail also passes a large pictograph panel along the river. The trailhead is next to the Lower Scorpion Campground.
• West Fork Trail – For a short but scenic walk, try this 0.34-mile round trip walk along the pretty west fork of the Gila River. The trailhead is next to the Cliff Dwellings parking lot and can be done in conjunction with a hike to the ancient complex.
To reach the Gila Cliff Dwellings, from Silver City, N.M., take N.M. Hwy. 15 north. The road ends in the national monument.
