Dawson Ghost Town

Colfax County, New Mexico36.6642, -104.7747

Can you visit?

Likely private land

Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first

Nearest town
24 miRaton, NM
Mild months
Apr–Oct7 of 12
Elevation
6,340 ft1,932 m
Dawson, New Mexico
Photo: Legends of America Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Dawson is an abandoned town in Colfax County, New Mexico. It lies at about 6,340 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miTrinidadRatonAngel FireDawson
  • National Forest
  • State
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Dawson. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Raton, NM, about 24 miles northeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Santa Fe, NM, 97 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Elizabethtown28 mi west
  2. Morley29 mi northeast
  3. Tercio29 mi northwest
  4. La Belle30 mi west
  5. Yankee31 mi northeast
  6. Madrid33 mi north
  7. Primero33 mi north
  8. Twining38 mi west

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°4714Jan5018Feb5823Mar6531Apr7440May8449Jun8754Jul8553Aug7845Sep6834Oct5522Nov4614DecJan: 0.4 inFeb: 0.3 inMar: 0.8 inApr: 1.0 inMay: 1.1 inJun: 1.7 inJul: 2.6 inAug: 2.3 inSep: 1.8 inOct: 0.9 inNov: 0.5 inDec: 0.4 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Raton Muni Crews Ap. July brings 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Raton Muni Crews Ap station (USW00023052), 16 miles away. About 13.8 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationColfax County, New Mexico
Coordinates36.66417, -104.77472
Elevation6,340 ft (1,932 m)
Also known asDawson, New Mexico, Mountview, Dawson, NM
SourcesWikidata Q2201125 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Dawson ghost town?

In Colfax County, New Mexico, at 36.6642, -104.7747. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Raton, NM, about 24 miles northeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Santa Fe, NM, 97 miles away.

Can you visit Dawson?

Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

When is the best time to visit Dawson?

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Raton Muni Crews Ap. July brings 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Dawson?

Yes. Elizabethtown (28 mi), Morley (29 mi), Tercio (29 mi), La Belle (30 mi).

More ghost towns in New Mexico

All 69 ghost towns in New Mexico · Ghost towns near Santa Fe