T H I S Y E A R S P E N D Y O U R V A C A T I O N I N |
|||
Casitas de Gila
|
|
||
 |
CASITAS DE GILA GUESTHOUSES Toll Free: 1-877-923-4827 |
||
CASITA FACILITIES • RATES & POLICIES • LOCATION THINGS TO DO IN SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO WHAT'S YOUR INTEREST? |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
| You can search the entire U.S. and simply won't find accommodation in a more spectacular setting — stay with us and see for yourself! | |||
Read on for a typical day at Casitas de Gila Guesthouses …
 Casitas de Gila – Little Houses of Gila – is a cluster of five cozy southwestern adobe-style guesthouses, four miles outside of the tiny community of Gila (HEE-la) in Southwestern New Mexico. Nestled among juniper and piñon pines, on an ancient river terrace overlooking Bear Creek, our Casitas occupy lands that were once favorite hunting grounds of Apaches only 120 years ago.
|
Of course, you don't have to rush off to do things while you are staying at Casitas de Gila, despite the incredible attractions of the surrounding area. The hot tub perched on the edge of the cliff above the creek makes a wonderful, ringside blind for watching birds and animals. When the sun begins to warm you, you can move your "activity" down to our hammock, in the shade of the willows and cottonwoods bordering the creek, for a peaceful nap or quiet nature observation. By late morning, you may be ready to spend time exploring some of our 226 acres, including 10 marked trails, totaling 6 miles of hiking and walking trails and paths (download our Trail Map!) It's an easy walk down along the creek bottom, past the wonderful cliffs of Gila Conglomerate. After your hike, grab a book from your Casita and spend a few peaceful hours reading in the courtyard surrounding our Art Gallery.
And then there's the 3.3 million acres of the Gila National Forest and the Gila Wilderness just four miles down the road, beckoning you to go hiking and explore further … |
Evening is a very special time at Casitas de Gila. After a full day's activities, you'll be ready to fire up the barbecue grill outside your door and cook up your evening meal. While you're tending the grill, you'll notice that the mountains and cliffs across the creek are gradually turning from yellow, to orange, to fiery red in the light of the setting sun, eventually surrounding you in the soft, warm glow of their reflected light. Then, ever so slowly, as the shadows deepen further, a canopy of brilliant stars will magically emerge from the clear, southwestern New Mexico sky, in a spectacular display rarely seen in today's all-too-lit-up world.
Guests are also welcome to bring their own equipment if they have some. One of our guests told us we had the darkest skies he'd ever experienced at mag 7.3+. Visit our Stargazing page for more information. |
From the hot tub you can watch the moon glide above Turtle Rock across the creek and listen to the owls softly hooting in the dark recesses of creekbed below. As the night air cools, you can move inside and settle down beside a cozy winter-time fire in your kiva fireplace, with one of the interesting books from your private Casita library. Or enjoy a summer-time fire in the chimenea outside your Casita and study the Milky Way. Eventually, though, it's time to retire. As you sink down into your comfy bed, you'll drift off to sleep with the sound of a soft breeze rustling the piñon pines, the low hoot of an owl blending with the murmuring of the creek, and the distant call of coyote howling at the moon. |
Your Hosts …
Michael did his geological training in New Mexico, Montana, and Arizona, and is looking forward to sharing with you his knowledge and love of the west, its diverse and complex landscape, and its history. Becky is excited to have once again created a wonderful and comfortable home-away-from-home for you while you sample the diversity of America's Southwest. We look forward to meeting you soon at our Stress-Free Zone: Casitas de Gila Guesthouses and Art Gallery.
|
Thank you for providing a place to reconnect with nature and to calm our hurried selves last weekend. We were so amazed that you had thought of all the things we could possibly want to be comfortable — the southwest books in the Casita, the fully-stocked kitchen, the hot tub, the comfortable furnishings and rugs, the flowing creek, the quiet, the stars, the birds, the smells and views of the horses, and especially the strategically placed hammocks. We'd like to come again and stay longer. — Guests from New Mexico I enjoyed my night at your stress-free guesthouse. You went beyond the normal to make us feel at ease — the kitchen was overstocked with anything we might want. We enjoyed the hot tub after dark to look at the stars — something we can't see in the city. Thank you for such a great night, a wonderful time. |
 |
Please contact us by telephone, fax or e-mail if you would like more information on Casitas de Gila, on availability, or would like to make a reservation. |
||
 |
Casitas de Gila Guesthouses & Art Gallery
|
|
 |
||
|
Casitas de Gila Guesthouses is an Inspected and Approved Member of For More Southwestern New Mexico Information, |
| new |
At Casitas de Gila a diversity of birds, animals, plants, and landscape will greet you every time you step outdoors. Early risers enjoying a morning cup of coffee on their portal may watch and hear quail, scrub jays, or hummingbirds in the pines around the Casitas or catch a glimpse of the mule deer and bighorn sheep that are frequent visitors to the cliffs above Bear Creek, across from the Casitas.
As you watch the sun rise over a nearby mountain ridge, you will be entranced by the sounds of silence at Casitas de Gila … a gentle morning breeze rustling the piñon pine and the murmur of the creek flowing softly among the rocks a hundred feet below. What an incredible feeling when you realize that it's so quiet here, you can hear each individual flap of a raven's wings as it arcs gracefully overhead. As you look out to the north over the cottonwoods and sycamores in the canyon below, the rising sun illuminates the yellow-, red- and white-banded front range of the volcanic Piños Altos mountains in the Gila Wilderness, beckoning you for a day's hike or an auto tour of the Gila National Forest. A bit further to the northwest, Mogollon Baldy, one of the highest peaks in the towering Mogollon Range, gleams an 11,000 foot invitation from its home in the magnificent Gila Wilderness.
Interested in rocks and minerals? Our lands are a rockhounder's paradise. You can spend hours searching for crystalline treasures along Bear Creek or in the adjacent arroyos. Or maybe you'd like to try that gold pan and shovel leaning up against the wall of your Casita. Yes sir, the sands and gravels of Bear Creek do contain that precious yellow metal, and you're most welcome to try your hand at panning it. (Of course, all nuggets weighing over a pound must be shared 50/50 with your hosts!)
If you're feeling more adventurous, take a horseback ride and see and experience the beautiful vistas of the Mogollon Mountains, canyon riding, river crossings, and wildlife. Trail rides from two hours to all day are available in the nearby Glenwood area with advance reservations.
Using the Casitas' star charts and high-power binoculars or spotting scope, you should easily find your heavenly favorites, and probably find some new ones as well. On clear, dark nights (and when our schedule allows), Michael offers tours of the heavens through our 10-inch Orion dobsonian reflector 
