For those desiring to surround themselves with the beauty of this rugged landscape, the Gila Wilderness Nature Ride will take you on a gentle, horseback vacation adventure on seasoned horses through rugged, pristine canyons and mountains lying within the magnificent Bear Creek and Greenwood Canyon drainage systems, situated along the western edge of the legendary Gila Wilderness in southwest New Mexico.  Four gentle seasons best describe the climatic conditions in the Gila National Forest,  Gila Wilderness and  Double E Ranch areas, providing comfortable horseback riding weather in any season.

Enjoy a quiet moment on your porch with a fresh cup of coffee brewed in your cabin.  Experience the sounds of birds chirping, horses nickering, the wind rustling in the trees.  Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m.  We'll be saddled and ready to begin your journey by 9:30 a.m.   Your lunch will be packed and you'll meet Mark at the barn.  Ranch Staff works diligently to ensure your adventure is comfortable, exciting and safe. You'll begin  your journey from Double E Ranch Headquarters  after a hearty breakfast served in the dining room.   and at 9:30 a.m. you'll meet at the barn to get saddled up.  We'll pack you a substantial picnic lunch for the noon-time nutrition break.  Gentle, seasoned horses will carry  you into some of the most spectacular country in southwest New Mexico. Expect to cover  from 3 miles to as many as 10-15 miles each day through combined horseback riding and hiking.  Of course, we will tailor the length of your ride according to  your skill level and physical conditioning.  Comfortable riding clothes and shoes/boots are a must! 

Consisting of several  relaxing loop journeys  through 30 million years on land  that became one of the early pioneer ranches established near the end of the Apache Wars in 1886, you will have an exclusive opportunity to explore areas accessible by invitation only, isolated and remote. The latitude, as well as the  5,000 - 7,000 foot elevation  permits maximum enjoyment of the region during every season.  Whether winter or summer,  daytime temperatures are generally pleasant for hiking or horseback riding, and range from the high 90's in the warmest summer months to  high 40's in coldest months of winter.  The area enjoys an average of  345 days of glorious sunshine and clear blue skies annually.

Imagine what it will feel like to be looking into hundreds of miles of spectacular, open vistas found only in the American West!  Inhale deeply and experience pure, clean air.  Silence!  Enjoy a hushed lunch in tranquil serenity under cobalt blue skies,  surrounded by  immense Pinion, Cottonwood, Sycamore or Ponderosa pines.  Encounter hundreds of native and migratory birds and animals on your journey.  Ride back to Double E Ranch in the late afternoon feeling relaxed, with  your spirit renewed, your soul healed.   

During this customized Gila Nature Expedition, you will have the opportunity to explore three primary plant  communities and wildlife habitats: 

The riparian zone of Bear Creek, which is characterized by  magnificent, lush old growth cottonwoods and sycamores, ash, walnut, willow, gray oak and hackberry.

The Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts reach into the Gila, contributing to the dominant upland desert plant zone found over the plateaus, hills and lower mountains, and is characterized by juniper, pinion, scrub oak, yucca, agave, mesquite, and prickly pear and cholla cactus.

The majestic Rocky Mountains terminate in the Gila Forest, as do the Sierra Madre Mountains which stretch north from Old Mexico.  The lower Greenwood Canyon drainage  is an isolated high mountain valley and upper slope transitional zone characterized by ponderosa pine, Douglas Fir, giant manzanita and Gamble's Oak. 

The geology of the Gila consists primarily of a complex and diverse assemblage of Tertiary volcanic tuffs, flows and intruesives which date between 20 and 35 million years old.   One New Mexico geologist once observed that it is "complex  to the point of perplexity". 

Agate, crystalline quartz, obsidian, fluorite, zeolites, geodes and other collectible rock and mineral specimens occur in abundance over the land surface and along the river bottoms. During the time of volcanism, vast quantities of igneous material were deposited in the Gila Wilderness area. The extent and magnitude of these eruptions is difficult to comprehend, but nearly 2,500 square miles were subject to these cataclysmic events.

Each of these zones remain exclusively for you to explore and patiently await your arrival!

After the evening meal, retire to your private, comfortable cabin.   As the sun begins to lower on an enchanted New Mexico horizon, casting a brilliant orange and pink glow on the  mountains, lean back in your rocker,  stretch yourself out, prepare to count the stars exploding across the New Mexico sky...space, solitude, peace.

Meals:  Double E Ranch prides itself on our informal, family-style meals,  comfortable guest cabins  and excellent saddle horses.  We serve some of the best home grown,  chemical-free Texas Longhorn beef dishes in the southwest.  Fresh fruits and vegetables  are often  on our menu, when in season and available.  Freshly  baked desserts are  served up daily.   We do not claim to be a gourmet restaurant.  Meals are not fancy - just home cooked, hearty, filling and plentiful. .Strict vegetarian preferences cannot be accommodated.  However, fresh vegetables, fruits, cheese, chicken, pasta and rice are usually  on the menu, as well as deliciously tempting, home prepared desserts. We won't let anyone go hungry!  **Please, be responsible about your dietary needs.  Be sure you let Ranch Staff know of any dietary concerns or allergies on your arrival to avoid problems or miscommunication.  Thanks!

All participants should be in good physical condition and capable of being on horseback  or hiking for a minimum of 6 hours each day.  A combination of  hiking and horseback riding is encouraged.