Silver City, N.M.

Silver City is a small town. It's an old mining town. And it's still the host to the largest active open copper mine in the U.S. There are light restrictions that help energy conservation and minimize light pollution. Hikes, maps and a list of rules were available from helpful staff at the forest service office in Silver City. Silver City was close by and offered an historic view of the West. The historic downtown area had small stores and tall sidewalks. Stepping off the curb could be a drop of 20" or more.
I met several folks in town and learned of an open-mic night at the local coffee bar. There were lots of cowboy hats and 4-wheel drive pick-ups. It had the remnants of a pretty tough western town. I had the sense, pretty much throughout Silver City, that you needed to fend for yourself. You'd better not be caught out on a remote highway out of gas and exposed to the sun. Nor stuck somewhere on the road when the sun went down and temperatures started to fall. It's a harsh climate.