Place guide
Dragonfly Petroglyph Site
A short hike leading to a collection of petroglyphs, including a distinctive dragonfly.
📍GPS: 32.811767, -108.172376
Dragonfly Petroglyph Site
Just east of Silver City, the Dragonfly Trail leads through open high desert to a collection of roughly 1,000-year-old petroglyphs.
The best known carving is the dragonfly that the site is named for, but the rocks around it contain a few more human, animal, and geometric figures associated with the Mimbres and Mogollon peoples.
Reaching the petroglyphs requires an easy hike through piñon-juniper plains with little shade. Several trails branch through the area, but the petroglyphs are a natural turnaround point for a roughly three-mile round trip. Go in the morning during warmer months, bring water, and don’t touch the rock art.
Dragonfly is an easy addition to a day around Silver City, especially if you want a short hike that combines scenery and archaeology.
Nearby places
Fort Bayard Historic Site
A 19th-century U.S. Army post near Silver City, built for the Apache Wars.
Chino Mine Overlook
A viewpoint overlooking the Chino open-pit copper mine, the largest mine in New Mexico.
Silver City
A charming historic mining town and gateway to the Gila wilderness.