New Mexico · Ghost town
Mogollon
A gold and silver town at the bottom of Silver Creek Canyon, reached by a road with a reputation, holding a few dozen residents.
Position Catron County, New Mexico · 33.3967, -108.7942
Mogollon was founded in the 1880s at the bottom of Silver Creek Canyon in the Mogollon Mountains of Catron County, to work the gold and silver in the ranges above it. The Little Fannie mine became the town's main employer.
Through the 1890s the population moved between roughly three thousand and four thousand, which for a settlement wedged into a canyon floor is a remarkable density.
It is now a historic district with a small permanent population, several original buildings, a museum and a theatre. Some businesses open seasonally and some do not open at all.
The approach is State Route 159, a narrow mountain road with tight switchbacks and no barrier in places. It closes in winter. Drivers who dislike exposure should know that before committing.
Facts checked against the Wikipedia article Mogollon, New Mexico. The words above are ours.