Spring is a great time to go hiking in Gila, NM. The weather is warmer  but not too warm  the desert blooming, and hiking into the wilderness offers great views not seen from any car window.

But hiking safely should be everyones first priority, and as youll see, even an experienced hiker can make a mistake.

Linda Ferrara has been hiking the area ever since she moved to Silver City, NM 11 years ago. This year she decided to give herself a goal. This past fall, she came up with the idea of doing 100 hikes in a year. Thats about three hikes a week. With time on her hands, and beautiful southwestern New Mexico scenery all around, Ferrara struck off.

By March, she had logged more than 40 hikes  nearly halfway to her goal.