Chino Mine Overlook

The Chino Mine Overlook offers a view into New Mexico’s largest open-pit mine.

Located along NM 152 east of Silver City, the roadside stop looks across a pit roughly 1.75 miles wide and more than 1,300 feet deep. Open-pit mining began here in 1910, although people have extracted copper from the area for centuries.

What You’ll See

From the overlook, you can see the enormous stepped walls of the active Chino Mine, haul roads, mining equipment, and the surrounding mountains. Interpretive displays explain the geology and mining history of the area, while the distinctive Kneeling Nun formation can be seen on the skyline.

The Lost Town of Santa Rita

The scale of the mine comes with an unusual piece of history.

The town of Santa Rita once stood beside the copper deposits, but as the open pit expanded during the 1950s, the community was relocated and the former townsite was eventually consumed by mining. Today, little remains to show that an entire town once stood where the mine now spreads across the landscape.

Final Take

The Chino Mine Overlook is a quick but fascinating stop if you’re traveling NM 152 between Silver City and the mountains. You don’t need long here, but the sheer scale of the mine and the story of Santa Rita make it one of the more unusual roadside stops in southwest New Mexico.