Rockhound State Park - Florida Mountains - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | Rockhound State Park - Florida Mountains |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | New Mexico |
| Nearby Town: | Deming |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | To get to the park, head south from Deming on NM 11 about five miles. Turn east on State Road 141 (Rockhound Rd) for about nine miles. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 16.70 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Moderate to Difficult |
| Permit Required: | No |
| Hike Type: | Roundtrip, Loop Hike |
| Hike Starts/Ends: | Rockhound State Park |
| Trails Used: | Rockhound Trail is the only trail used. Further travel is done on the remains of mining roads or on game trails. |
| Backcountry Campsites: | Yes |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | Springs |
| Management: | Bureau of Land Management |
| Contact Information: | Bureau of Land Management New Mexico BLM Office 505-438-7400 |
| Best Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Users: | Hikers, Bikers, Dogs, Horses |
| Road Conditions: | Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | The Florida Mountains make for a great cool weather hike for a number of reasons. New Mexico's only Ibex population lives here, which are a type of wild goat, normally found only in Africa and parts of southern Europe and Asia, and they are something to see in the wild. Mining camps and shafts are spread out over the entire mountain range for those who enjoy historical hikes, and Rockhound State Park itslef was the first in the United States to allow tourists to collect rocks and minerals for their own collections. The hike is a fun walk, starting at the State Park before rising to over 7,900 feet at the top. There are really two methods of completing the hike: One is to start at Rockhound and stick to low elevation, making a circle around the base of the mountains. That hike is conisderably longer than the one we took. The second method is to go for altitude, and go from Rockhound to the pass between the two peaks of the Floridas. The high-altitude trip results in much better scenery, even though it involves a 3,000 foot climb. Items of interest to see are the Litle and Big Needles Eye, the Indian Post Office, the Ibex, and over 30 mines. |
One reply on “Rockhound State Park - Florida Mountains - Member Hike”
Quick notes:
1) The management of Rockhound STATE Park is not BLM, which is a federal entity; it is New Mexico State Parks of the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Division, and
2) their Contact Information is: New Mexico State Parks Division, 1-888-667-2757 (Santa Fe, toll free) or 1-575-546-6182 (local to the Park). Also, their website is: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/index.htm