The railroads changed America in many ways, and the Gilman Tunnels are a modern reminder of what a big undertaking they were. Trains don’t run through them anymore, but people from many walks of life continue to enjoy them.
These iconic tunnels are in the gorgeous Jemez Mountains in Sandoval County, New Mexico. They’re in a narrow red-rock canyon in an area of the Santa Fe National Forest called the Jemez National Recreation Area.
The tunnels were built sometime in the 1920s to help turn logs into lumber. Workers loaded timber onto trains that hauled them to a sawmill in the area.
A big part of the appeal of the Gilman Tunnels is you can drive right through them. The roadway leading up to them is paved and smooth, though somewhat narrow, and traffic is usually not heavy.