Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
Southern New Mexico
If your idea of fun is road-tripping
across exotic landscapes, delving into
ancient cultures, peering into outer space,
and chatting up an alien or two, southern
New Mexico is your destination. Here
you'll find an astonishing array of singular
landscapes and unusual attractions, from
the rolling gypsum sand dunes of White
Sands National Monument to the under-
ground natural cathedrals of Carlsbad
Caverns National Park.
Wildness abounds at places such as the
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Ref-
uge and the 3.3-million-acre Gila National
Forest, both known for great bird-watch-
ing. Within the forest lies Gila Cliff
Dwellings National Monument, home to
the Mogollon people 1,000 years ago. The
final frontier is also present in this region,
at places such as the International UFO
Museum and Research Center in Roswell,
the area where aliens may have landed,
and the Very Large Array, the world's most
powerful radio telescope.
Between the sights lie more miles of
open country than most people can imag-
ine. Though on first glance it may appear
desolate, it's actually filled with petro-
glyphs and lava fields, hot springs and
ghost towns, places where legends such as
Geronimo and Billy the Kid once
roamed.
The big city in the area is Las Cruces,
New Mexico's second largest, with a popu-
lation of 73,600. Set at the foot of the
dramatic Organ Mountains, it is an agri-
cultural and education center. To the east
lies Ruidoso, a booming resort town with
good skiing in winter. To the west is Silver
City, a charming mining town that's been
revived in recent years. The Rio Grande
slices a green swath through the center of
the region, nourishing many communities
along its banks.
With such long distances to cover,
you'll need a reliable car to get around.
Flip on the tunes, keep a close eye on the
gas gauge, and enjoy the ride.
1
GETTING OUTSIDE IN SOUTHERN
NEW MEXICO
Rugged, remote, forested, and fascinating all describe southwestern New Mexico, where
few tourists venture—lucky for you if you're looking for backcountry adventure.
BIKING
Several forest roads and single-track trails in this region are favorites with
mountain bikers. In the Ruidoso area, near Cloudcroft, the
Rim Trail,
a 17-mile inter-
mediate trail that offers views of White Sands, is considered one of the top 10 trails in
the nation. To reach the trail, take NM 130 from Cloudcroft to NM 6563, turn right,
and look for the Rim Trail signs. The Cloudcroft area offers three other good trails: La
Luz Canyon, Silver Springs Loop, and Pumphouse Canyon. For directions, contact the
Cloudcroft Ranger Station (
&
575/682-2551
). The paved road up to
Carlsbad Caverns
National Park
is scenic, and the auto traffic drives slowly, but it's very hot in the summer.
Bikes are not allowed in the Gila Wilderness, but they are permitted on trails in other
parts of
Gila National Forest
(
&
575/388-8201;
www.fs.fed.us/r3/gila). Refer to
“Other Adventures in Gila National Forest,” later in this chapter, for some specific ride
