Anaconda

New Mexico's ghost towns layer Spanish-era villages, railroad creations, and coal camps across a single stark landscape.

Anaconda was a small mining community in Cibola County, New Mexico. The town came into existence in the early 1950s when the Anaconda Copper Company of Butte, Montana opened up a uranium ore processing plant 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Grants, along Route 66, to process ore from the Jackpile Mine (or Jackpile-Paguate Mine), then the world's largest open-pit uranium mine. Anaconda was the site of somewhere around 100 homes for the supervisors and management of the company. The Mill was also located on the same property.

The on-the-ground condition of Anaconda is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Anaconda is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.