Lodging: Gila

Stress Less

The driveway sign signals what soon becomes evident: “ENTERING A STRESS FREE ZONE.” Moments later, arriving at Casitas de Gila—five Southwest-style guesthouses perched above Bear Creek, about 30 miles northeast of Silver City and four miles from the village of Gila—one is immediately struck by the area’s profound stillness and its panoramic views of unspoiled outback.

“Our stock in trade is this,” declares innkeeper Becky O’Connor, sweeping her arm toward a cottonwood-lined stream shadowed by piñon-dotted hills and pine-fringed peaks. “People fully reconnect with nature here.”

It doesn’t take long for many guests to spy Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep gamboling among improbably steep cliffs, or to glimpse songbirds flitting about this oasis. Well-marked trails thread the private 265-acre nature preserve, which protects animals such as native fish, tree frogs, deer, javelinas, and bobcats. The six-mile network of trails affords views deep into the nearby Gila River watershed and wilderness areas. Crystalline night skies shimmer with details never seen in town. Each casita has its own spotting scope and star chart, with a 10-inch telescope available.

Each guesthouse also boasts a library, board games, a kiva fireplace, an outdoor chimenea, a barbecue grill, and a picnic table. Breakfast fixings are provided, and guests may cook other meals in the well-appointed kitchens. Before settling in, the communal hot tub is a perfect place to watch a full moon creep above the red-orange palisades of Turtle Rock.

Becky’s fellow innkeeper and husband, Michael O’Connor, is also a scientist who loves to share his knowledge of the region’s geologic history and abundant wildlife, as well as tours of the heavens via outdoor telescopes. Michael’s paintings and Becky’s jewelry, plus works by other local artists, are sold at the galería near their residence. Urban refugees themselves, the O’Connors consider their creative aerie a soothing antidote to a busy world. “As long as there are cities,” one visitor assured them, “you always will have guests.”

From $160 nightly. 50 Casita Flats Rd., (877) 923-4827, www.casitasdegila.com—Richard Mahler