Expect increased equipment and personnel on roadways near Mogollon
(Silver City, NM, February 24, 2026) — The Forest Service intends to mobilize heavy equipment starting Feb. 27 for environmental cleanup activities at the abandoned Challenge Venture Mill near Mogollon, approximately eight miles northeast of Glenwood, N.M.
These efforts will address potential threats to human health and the environment posed by disused mining materials and surface debris left at the site from past mill activities, including multiple 55-gallon drums containing suspected hazardous substances like sodium cyanide. Planned construction activities using heavy equipment include demolition and hauling approximately 500 tons of excess materials to waste management and recycling facilities.
The project site is located 7.75 miles east of U.S. Route 180 on Bursum Road/New Mexico State Road 159. This portion of Bursum Road will remain open to the public during construction activities. Project traffic will enter and exit Bursum Road at US 180. All vehicles exceeding 30 feet in length will be escorted by a pilot vehicle from US 180 to the project site, and flaggers and spotters will be present when vehicles longer than 30 feet leave the site.
If traveling in the vicinity, drive carefully, pay attention to traffic flaggers, and be aware of your surroundings as there will likely be increased traffic and heavy equipment on or near Bursum Road, particularly on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
We estimate the project to conclude by the end of March. For more information, please contact Maria McGaha, Regional Environmental Engineer,
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
