These Unique Tunnels In New Mexico Are Downright Surreal
Juliet White
Author
Even if you’ve never heard of the Gilman Tunnels, you still may have seen them. They’ve been used as a filming location for movies such as “3:10 to Yuma” and “The Scorch Trials” (the sequel to “The Maze Runner”). These historic railroad tunnels in New Mexico are located in the Jemez Mountains, near the town of Jemez Springs.
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But the Gilman Tunnels weren’t created for a film project.
Still, this was not a sufficient deterrent. Workers forged ahead with the plan, using dynamite to create the two railway tunnels.
They were dubbed the Gilman Tunnels after William H. Gilman, the company’s vice president of operations.
This railroad was primarily used for hauling timber down from the mountains.
To reach the Gilman Tunnels, just turn off Highway 4 onto NM 485.
This video by John Cline Productions gives you an idea of what it’s like to drive through the Gilman Tunnels. The tunnels first appear about one and a half minutes into the footage.
There’s plenty of things to do in this part of New Mexico. After you visit the tunnels, be sure to explore the town of Jemez Springs, which is known for its hot springs.
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More to Explore
Historic Railroad Tunnels In New Mexico
What are the best little known places in New Mexico?
There are many unique places in New Mexico to discover. If you enjoy historical sites, visit the Chaco Culture National Historic Park near Nageezi. The structures there have been around for hundreds of years and are a fascinating part of the past. Did you know there is a highway in New Mexico that'll play music if you drive on it? The Musical Highway near Albuquerque was an experiment that, by using specifically placed grooves in the road, will play a song if you're driving exactly 45 miles per hour. How cool is that?
Where can I hike to a cave in New Mexico?
Planning on having adventures on or in rock formations in New Mexico? Here are some awesome caves you should visit. Besides the magnificent Carlsbad Caverns in Carlsbad, the El Malpais National Monument has lava caves and ice formations you can hike to. The lava tubes are explorable by free permit and they are wondrous to behold. Another place you can hike to caves and cave dwellings is within the Bandelier National Monument. The pueblos there are hundreds of years old and worth the trek to see in person.
Does New Mexico have any natural wonders?
New Mexico is full of amazing man-made tunnels and even a hand-carved cave, but there are also things to see in New Mexico that are completely natural and equally as impressive. The White Sands of Alamogordo are breathtaking to see. The rare white sand is made of gypsum and keeps cool even under the summer sun. The unusual look of the Tent Rocks in the Kasha-Katuwe Rocks National Monument are certainly an eyecatcher and are worth taking a hike through. The Bisti Wilderness is the badlands of New Mexico, and the colorful layers of sediment make the weirdly shaped geological formations even more fascinating. The Land of Enchantment definitely doesn't disappoint when it comes to natural wonders!