Rabb Park Trail 747

From the road, the area looks like a dry brushy landscape. But you will soon discover that the trail leads to hidden springs, rock formations that surround Rabb Park and after climbing out of the park, the moonstone mine. Initially developed in 1925, the mine has a few remnants of previous use: a small skeleton of a structure, mattress springs, shallow holes dug into the sandy soil and more. No major excavation is evident, except the moonstone rubble describes a failed mining exploration. Exploring the area, you will find small moonstone rocks scattered on the surface. Thankfully, the Black Fire spared the first few miles of this trail.

Geospatial PDF map: https://caltopo.com/p/0ESLJ

Once parked, follow the dirt road entrance on the highway's left. Stay left at the rock-bordered parking area to travel along a dirt two-track. (Going right will lead to corrals but not the trail.) You will cross Noonday Canyon at 0.45 miles from the highway. Be sure to head upstream rather than take the two-track downstream. From here, the road parallels the creek for another 0.35 miles. It can be easy to forget your objective and keep walking on the dirt road. So keep looking for a cairn on the left and the Rabb Park sign set off the road.
From here, the trail is a single track. The trail travels in and out of a few drainages in pinion/Juniper country until it crosses Rabb Canyon two times. There is often water at the first crossing. From here, the Ponderosas appear. Rock formations soon become visible. Much of the hills surrounding Rabb Park are slick rock – making it interesting to explore off-path.
At 3.6 miles, start looking for Moonstone along the trail. In my opinion, the main attraction is the beautiful Moonstone rubble rather than the evidence of a mine (since there is very little)
You can travel another mile uphill to a saddle that offers views of the Southeast. The trail proceeds to climb in and out of canyons until it junction with the Quaking Aspen Trail.

Access Info

Some maps have incorrect trail locations.

Less than an hour from Silver City, head east on Highway 152. A beautiful 9.7-mile winding drive to the trailhead area awaits you after you pass Highway 35. Start paying attention at mile marker 23 on highway 152. The parking is just before mile marker 24.
Parking is challenging, but you will see several options at nearby pullouts along the highway. Watch carefully for the trailhead/parking. One parking option is at a juniper tree that partially blocks a faded hiker sign at the pull-off on the right near MM 24. On the north side of the highway, a dirt road leading to the trailhead is suitable only for high-clearance vehicles. There are also a few pull-offs west of the trailhead. These are bigger and can fit horse trailers but require hiking/riding along the highway for a few minutes to the trailhead. Be aware when hiking/riding on the highway since drivers often go fast, and the tight turns do not allow for visibility.

Disclaimer

Do not attempt to take a low clearance vehicle to the trailhead parking on the north side of the highway