The Mormon church was established in the 1830s. Church membership grew from 6 members in April, 1830 to over 268,000 by 1900. Missionary work and community service has always been a core facet of the Mormon faith. By the late 1800s missionary outreach to native communities was commonplace.

Established in 1882, Ramah was one of 50 settlements established in the New Mexico Territory by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800s. Their goal was to convert the local Navajo and Zuni communities. They named the community based on an Old Testament village mentioned in the Book of Joshua. The local Navajo community traditionally referred to the area as "Tl'ochin'," which translates to “onions”, a reference to the wild onions growing in the area.

Ramah is a quiet, peaceful town, with just over 400 people, tucked in a fertile valley in the foothills of the Zuni Mountains, 44-miles southeast of Gallup. The community is bordered by the Zuni Reservation on the west, with the Ramah Navajo Reservation due south and the Cibola National Forest encircling the community from the north to the east. The abundance of petroglyphs and ruins in the region are a reminder that humans have inhabited the valley for centuries, or possibly longer.

The land in the Ramah valley is fertile, but with moderate annual rainfall, water supply has always been unpredictable. The founders of Ramah started working on a dam within a year of arrival to provide reliable irrigation for crops. Though the dam was washed out twice by flooding (1897 & 1905), the current dam has been in place since 1906, creating Ramah Lake. The reservoir was a popular fishing destination for decades, primarily for trout and catfish, but it has become a shallow silt pond over the last several years due to the prolonged drought in the region, which has impacted the fish population.

Ramah, as a settlement, is rich in history. Many of the stone houses built by the founders are intact and occupied, a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the builders. The first permanent store was established in 1901, a trading post opened by R.C. Master. Possibly due to Mormon influence (drinking is discouraged), there has only been one attempt to open a bar in Ramah’s history. That didn’t go over well with the locals. They destroyed it the morning after the grand opening.

Despite the dramatic repudiation of liquor, Ramah was surprisingly diverse early in its history. The remote area has always attracted an eclectic mix of people: Navajo, Zuni, ranchers, homesteaders, outlaws, artists, hippies, off-grid survivalists, and a variety of introverts who are taking “alone time” to the next level.

In 1881, a man named John Miller moved to the area with his wife Isadora and their adopted Navajo son. They established a ranch on the edge of the Ramah Navajo reservation. 1881 was also the year that Pat Garrett shot Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, which sparked a lot of speculation about whether he really died.

The gossips in the Ramah Valley were convinced that John Miller was the infamous outlaw. Shortly before his death, John Miller confessed. He provided a detailed account of his escape. He said that he played dead during the wake, then escaped prior to the burial with the help of friends. They replaced his body with the body of a guy who had died the prior night.

One of the original stone houses in Ramah was restored and converted into a small museum to showcase the history and heritage of the valley. It is listed in the National Historic Register. Founded by long-time resident Paul Merrill, the Ramah Museum houses an eclectic collection of artifacts and memorabilia that collectively reflect the diverse cultural influences of the area, from prehistoric Native American pottery to items commonly used by early pioneer families. The museum is open on Fridays from 1-4 PM. For more information, call (505) 783-4215.

Ramah Museum
P.O. Box 73
Ramah, NM 87321
(505) 783 4150

Ramah Farmers Market
Saturdays from 10 AM – 12 PM, June – November
Local fruits, flowers, produce, and fresh baked treats. Live music.

Ramah Mormon Pioneer Hiking Trail
The Ramah Mormon Pioneer Trail is part of the National Trail System. The trailhead parking area is on the road to the Ramah Lake dam. The trail starts to the left of the restroom area and goes up to the top of the ridge. The trail continues north, eventually dropping down into the old rodeo grounds (Pasture Hollow), thru a deep arroyo, and then back up on the right-hand side. Trail Map