Off Hwy 27, Lake Valley, NM 88042 - Sierra County

Lake Valley Mining ranch is a very unique property. Lake Valley was a silver-mining town in Sierra County, U.S. state of New Mexico. The 'heyday' of the town was from 1881 to 1893. The last resident departed in 1994. The present-day ghost town is deserted, except for two caretakers that are on-site at all times. The mining town of Lake Valley was founded in 1878 after silver was discovered. Almost overnight, the small frontier town blossomed into a major settlement with a population of 4,000 people. Today, silver mining has played out and all that remains is a ghost town. BLM has restored the schoolhouse and chapel. The restored schoolhouse provides a glimpse of what schooling in a rural area was like in the early 20th century. Other buildings in the townsite have been stabilized to slow further deterioration. There also is a self-guided, interpretive walking tour.