Nestled at 7,000 feet elevation in the remnants of the gold-rush mining town of Pinos Altos, New Mexico sits an old adobe building along the main drag called The Buckhorn Saloon.
Driving by in the daytime, you might be forgiven in thinking the building is abandoned, with its faded wooden sign, weather beaten exterior, and conspicuous lack of an open sign or visible business hours, but come back at night and there will be cars parked everywhere and a warm glow coming through the barred windows. It’s hard not to feel transported to the Wild West as you step up onto the wooden porch and make your way to the windowless wooden door.
Upon entering the adobe walled saloon, you are greeted by a roaring fire, live music, and diners enjoying steaks and beers, just as they’ve been doing since The Buckhorn’s founding in 1863. The walls are festooned with animal pelts from decades past and wanted posters and paintings depicting scenes from the days when Pinos Altos was a bustling mining town. Adjacent to the saloon is the Opera House, decorated in the style of a true Western theater and often host to period-appropriate live performances.