(505) 542-9791
- Hours: Call to check hours
- Reservations: Not required
- Cost: Small admission fee
- Location: Southwest New Mexico, near Lordsburg, driving directions below
- How Long: Allow an hour at most
- Best Time to Visit: Any time
Steins Ghost Town
Pronounced "steens," this former mining and railroad town was named for Capt. Enoch Stein, a U. S. Army officer who participated in the Apache Wars. First called Doubtful Canyon because of threats from Indians, the town survived because of the railroad, with its post office open from 1888 through 1944.The first stagecoach passed nearby in 1857, en route between San Antonio, Texas, and San Diego, California. In 1858, the Butterfield Overland State started running here, along the route commonly called the Butterfield Road. The town was established in 1860 when the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived.
Today, the remains of Steins are open to the public. You'll find about a dozen buildings here, and a few decaying adobe structures. Fans of ghost towns usually rate Steins as one of the better ghost towns in the area.
Getting to Steins Ghost Town
Steins is 19 miles west of Lordsburg, NM, 140 miles west of Las Cruces, NM, 135 miles east of Tucson, AZ and 90 miles east of Benson, AZ.Exit I-10 at exit 3, just east of the Arizona-New Mexico border, and follow the signs to Steins.
If You Liked Steins, You May Also Like:
- Bodie State Historic Park, CA: A ghost town kept in a state of "arrested decay."
- Bisbee, AZ: Southern Arizona mining town
- Jerome, AZ: Revitalized copper mining town between Sedona and Flagstaff.
- Tombstone, Arizona: Not really a ghost town, Tombstone is a popular stop for lovers of the Old West.
