Cimarron is a small town in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northeast New Mexico. Popular in the summer for world-class fly-fishing in the Cimarron River it is the closest town to Philmont Boy Scout Ranch. Outside of the town, the area is dominated by very large ranches, some owned by celebrities or wealthy corporate scions. The town's historic downtown area was once a stopping point for settlers heading west on the Santa Fe Trail, and it still has the feeling of a dusty frontier town.
Understand
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The town is small with a population of just under 800 (2020).
Get in
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The nearest commercial airports are in Santa Fe, New Mexico or Colorado Springs, Colorado. From either airport, rent a car and drive to Cimarron. It might also be possible to get there via Amtrak to Raton.
By car
[edit]Cimarron is about 160 miles (2-1/2 hours) from Santa Fe, New Mexico, or about 190 miles (2-3/4 hours) from Colorado Springs, Colorado, both via interstate 25.
From Santa Fe, drive north on interstate highway 25 to exit 419 and drive west on New Mexico state highway 58 for about 20 miles to Cimarron.
From Colorado Springs, drive south on interstate highway 25 to exit 446 and drive west on U.S. highway 64 for about 35 miles to Cimarron.
Get around
[edit]Cimarron is a very small town with wide open ranch country all around. There is no scheduled bus service or public transit to or in Cimarron. Boy scouts usually hike. Ranchers usually ride horses when they aren't driving around in their gigantic air-conditioned 4WD trucks. Tourists drive around in their air-conditioned rental cars.
See
[edit]- 1 Aztec Mill Museum, W. 17th Street, ☏ +1 575 376 2417. M-Sa 10am - 4pm (summer only), closed winter. Regional history museum housed in an 1860s grist mill. Numerous displays about the town's colorful characters and stories.
- Dawson is a ghost town about 17 km northeast of Cimarron. The former mining town once had a population over 9,000 but suffered a pair of deadly mining accidents before the mines were shut down in 1950 and the town completely abandoned within a few short years.
Do
[edit]- Cimarron Canyon State Park - mountainous park with four campgrounds with 94 campsites, miles of hiking trails through the pine forests, picnic grounds with tables and grills provided, fly-fishing in the Cimarron River, hunting permitted seasonally (autumn). Popular for snowshoeing in winter months.
- Carson National Forest
- Fly-fishing in the Cimarron River
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Kit Carson Restaurant, 31033 US-64, ☏ +1 575 376 4548. Daily 7am - 2pm. Western motif restaurant serving breakfast and lunch daily. $10.
- 2 Cimarron House of Pizza, 253 9th St., ☏ +17197178751. Daily 11am - 5pm. Casual pizza place also serving calzones and subs. $10.
- 3 Cree-Mee Drive In, 31089 US-64, ☏ +1 575 376 4480. Daily 10am - 8pm. Local drive-in with fast food fare including burgers, ice cream, and shakes. $10.
- 4 Cimarron Mercantile, 709 S Collison Ave., ☏ +1 575 376 4103. M-Sa 7am - 2pm, closed Su. Touristy place with rustic atmosphere, friendly service, and good food. Breakfast includes burritos and breakfast tacos. Lunch is sandwiches, paninis, tacos, etc. Good homemade salsas. $10.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Hikers Coffee Co., 337 9th St., ☏ +1 575 689 2635. Tu-Sa 7am - 3pm, closed Su-M. Small, local coffee shop with friendly atmosphere and good coffee drinks. Also serves breakfast items, donuts, churros and ice cream. $1.
Sleep
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- 1 St. James Hotel, ☏ +1 575 376 2664. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Historic hotel built in 1873, famous for its many famous outlaw and lawmen guests, including Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill, Jesse James (room 14), Annie Oakley and more. The hotel was notorious for being the site of frequent murders. Today, it offers rooms in two sections: the old historic section, and a newer modern section. The restaurant serves regional New Mexican and western dishes. The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 2 Hikers Inn and RV Campground, 212 E 10th St., ☏ +1 575 376 2268. Check-in: 3pm, check-out: 11am. $25+ (campsite), $100+ (room).
- 3 Blue Dragonfly Inn, 600 W. 18th St., ☏ +1 575 425 0005. Small, family owned and operated inn with clean, comfortable rooms, breakfast served daily in a common room, indoor swimming pool and hot tub.