I spent just one long afternoon exploring New Mexico’s Bootheel; by the time I drove the hundreds of miles north toward home, the sun had set and the stars were out.
Even if I’d wanted to stay the night, where would I have slept? As far as I can tell, the only hotels there are way out on the Arizona border in an unincorporated community called Rodeo (pop. 101: Rusty’s RV Ranch, the Painted Pony Resort), or 92 miles north of Antelope Wells in Lordsburg, the county seat.
That’s Hidalgo County, which has a population of 4,894 over 3,446 square miles—1.2 people per square mile. Lordsburg is by far the largest city around: with 2,797 residents, it’s home to over half the county’s population.
I think the Hidalgo County official visitors page is so delightful, I’ll let it speak for itself:
Hidalgo County, also known as New Mexico’s Bootheel
Hidalgo County would classify as being "stuck in the past" in many ways. If you meet someone driving the opposite direction, we still do the "pass salute," the tip of the hand straightened up from the steering wheel to acknowledge friendliness. One visitor asked why people were giving him a signal when he met, thinking that there was some secret language he didn't know. The salute is just a greeting, like others around here-a nod, fingertips to the hat brim, a smile. Folks are friendly around these parts.
A lot of people work the land--either by raising animals or by growing crops. They are usually a bit dirty and dusty, but they won't apologize for it. The land here is cherished and kept for generations in a family, and having a bit of it on your boots or jeans is no shame.
Visitors often ask, "What do you DO around here for fun?" Catch a country dance, bird-watch, read, sing, ride a horse, shoot the bull. Many folks around here are very content with watching the sky or looking out across expanses of nothing surrounded by mountains for entertainment.