Hillsboro Peak is located in the Black Range of southwestern New Mexico. The summit has an elevation of 10,020 feet and a prominence of 1,304 feet, and is situated on the border of Grant and Sierra Counties. The summit is located just outside of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area boundary.
Bear, cougar, bobcat, coyote, fox, deer, elk, javelina, ringtail cat, raccoon, wild turkey, Mexican Spotted Owl and Peregrine Falcon all inhabit the area. Hillsboro Peak takes its name from the nearby town of Hillsboro. Founded in 1877 after the discovery of gold in the area,
Hillsboro got its name when "Hillsborough" was drawn from a hat of names submitted by prospectors. It was later shortened to its current name. After the devaluation of silver in 1893, Hillsboro's sister towns, Kingston and Lake Valley, both silver mining towns, faded into obscurity. Hillsboro, mining both gold and silver, declined but stayed alive. Today, it has a population of about 200 as compared to 1,200 in its heyday.
