Skeleton Canyon
Skeleton Canyon, called Cañon Bonita by the Mexicans, is a canyon located 30 miles (50 km) northeast of the town of Douglas, Arizona, in the Peloncillo Mountains, which straddle the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line, in the New Mexico Bootheel region.
A canyon & gorge, 17 mi south of Rodeo
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Douglas, 33 miles southwest. Where to stay ↓
Summers are hot
June and July highs run 95–97°, and about 97 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Best months: Apr and Oct
April and October are the mild months, with highs of 79–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Rodeo. Green months are the mild ones.
Skeleton Canyon
Skeleton Canyon, called Cañon Bonita by the Mexicans, is a canyon located 30 miles (50 km) northeast of the town of Douglas, Arizona, in the Peloncillo Mountains, which straddle the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line, in the New Mexico Bootheel region.
This canyon connects the Animas Valley of New Mexico with the San Simon Valley of Arizona, and was once a main route between the United States and Mexico for both legal and illegal traffic. While originally known as Guadalupe Canyon, the area came to be called Skeleton Canyon, owing to the bones of cows and humans left behind by cattle drives from Mexico.
- Type
- Canyon & gorge
- Wikipedia readers
- 6.6K a year
Where to stay near Skeleton Canyon
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Douglas (10) and Pirtleville (5).
Douglas
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
16,038 people
33 mi southwest of Skeleton Canyon
Compare 3 towns
| Town | From Skeleton Canyon | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | 33 mi southwest | 50 min | 10 4 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 16,038 | $158K | B− |
| Rodeo 25% vacation homes | 17 mi north | 25 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 18 | — | — |
| Pirtleville | 35 mi southwest | 55 min | 5 4 hotels · 1 motel | 1,939 | $90K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Skeleton Canyon
Other well-known places within 69 miles.
Big draw34 mi National MonumentChiricahua National Monument70K visitors a year69 mi AttractionThe Thing?
61 mi MuseumBird Cage Theatre
45 mi National Historic SiteFort Bowie National Historic Site9K visitors a year
35 mi TheatreGrand TheatrePhoto credits
Chiricahua National Monument: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bird Cage Theatre: Hawkeye58, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Bowie National Historic Site: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Theatre: Jeff Henley, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting Skeleton Canyon
What town is Skeleton Canyon near?
Rodeo, NM, about 17 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Skeleton Canyon?
April and October, with highs of 79–81°.
What is the closest airport to Skeleton Canyon?
Grant County (SVC), about 89 miles away. The nearest big hub is Tucson (TUS), about 117 miles.
Where should I stay near Skeleton Canyon?
Douglas (33 mi, 10 places to stay) and Pirtleville (35 mi, 5 places to stay).
Tips from people in Rodeo
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Rodeo’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.