HILLSBORO PEAK
New Mexico - Grant County - Gila National Forest
May 7, 1915: "Already a crew of men has repaired the telephone line from Pinos Altos to the X S X ranch and the same outfit is now at work building a new line along the crest of the Black range, a distance of fourteen miles. This line will be used chiefly for fire protective purposes, permitting the prompt relaying of messages between fire lookout stations. It will connect with the fire lookout tower on Hillsboro peak." (The Santa Fe New Mexican)
June 13, 2013: The Hillsboro Peak lookout was wrapped in fire-resistant material to protect the structure against the lightning caused 'Silver Fire.
NGS Data Sheet
DESIGNATION - HILLSBORO PK LO
PID - CX1927
STATE/COUNTY- NM/GRANT
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - HILLSBORO PEAK (2017)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1945 (RAM)
STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 19 MILES, AIR LINE, NE OF SANTA
RITA AND 6 MILES WNW OF THE KINGSTON RANGER STATION. IT IS
ON THE HIGHEST PART OF HILLSBORO PEAK, A HIGH WOODED PEAK
ON THE NW END OF A WOODED RANGE.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM THE POST OFFICE IN SANTA RITA,
GO E ON STATE HIGHWAY 180 FOR 0.45 MILE TO A FORK. TAKE
THE RIGHT FORK (HIGHWAY 180) AND FOLLOW THE MAIN ROAD FOR
9.3 MILES TO A FORK AND STATION B.M. Q 124 ON THE RIGHT.
TAKE THE LEFT FORK (HIGHWAY 180) AND GO 16.6 MILES ON THE
MAIN ROAD TO A CATTLE GUARD AND A SIGN ON THE LEFT READING
HILLSBORO PK 4 VISITORS WELCOME. (THIS POINT IS SEVERAL
HUNDRED YARDS BEFORE REACHING THE SUMMIT OF THE PASS.) FROM
HERE PACK UP THE MAIN TRAIL FOR 3 MILES TO A FORK IN THE
TRAIL. TAKE THE RIGHT FORK (INDICATED BY SIGN HILLSBORO PK 1)
AND FOLLOW THE TRAIL FOR 1 MILE TO THE TOP OF THE
MOUNTAIN AND STATION.
STATION IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE BASE OF A STEEL
LOOKOUT TOWER, 213.49 FEET ESE OF STATION HILLSBORO PK. IT
IS MARKED BY A U.S. FOREST SERVICE DISK, UNSTAMPED AND APPARENTLY
SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN A BOULDER WHICH PROJECTS 6 INCHES
ABOVE THE GROUND.