Southern New Mexico - American Southwest - page 302

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Trinity Site
The world's first atomic bomb was exploded in this desert never-never land on
July 16, 1945. It is strictly off-limits to civilians—except twice a year, on the first
Saturday of April and October. A small lava monument commemorates the
explosion, which left a crater a quarter-mile across and 8 feet deep, and trans-
formed the desert sand into a jade-green glaze called “Trinitite” that remains
today. The McDonald House, where the bomb's plutonium core was assembled 2
miles from ground zero, has been restored to its 1945 condition. The site is on
the west slope of Sierra Oscura, 90 air miles northwest of Alamogordo. For more
information, call the public affairs office of White Sands Missile Range ( & 575/
678-1134; www.wsmr.army.mil).

The Space Hall of Fame occupies the “Golden Cube,” a five-story building with walls
of golden glass. Visitors are encouraged to start on the top floor and work their way
down. En route, they recall the accomplishments of the first astronauts and cosmonauts,
including America's Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, and the early Soviet orbital
flights. Spacecraft and a lunar exploration module are exhibited. Displays tell the history
and purposes of rocketry, missiles, and satellites and provide an orientation to astronomy
and other planets.
At Tombaugh Theater, IMAX projection and Spitz 512 Planetarium Systems create
earthly and cosmic experiences on a 2,700-square-foot dome screen.
Located at the top of NM 2001. & 877/333-6589 outside New Mexico, or 575/437-2840. Fax 575/434-
2245. www.spacefame.org. Admission to International Space Hall of Fame $6 adults, $5 seniors 60 and
older and military, $4 children 4-12, free for children 3 and under. IMAX Theater $6 adults, $5.50 seniors,
$4.50 children age 4-12, free for children 3 and under; additional charge for double feature. Daily 9am-
5pm.

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EXPLORING THE SURROUNDING AREA
Cloudcroft is a picturesque mountain village (pop. 765) high in the Sacramento
Mountains, surrounded by Lincoln National Forest. Though only about 20 miles east of
Alamogordo via US 82, it is twice as high, overlooking the Tularosa Valley from a dizzy-
ing elevation of almost 9,000 feet. It was founded in 1899 when railroad surveyors
reached the mountain summit and built a lodge for Southern Pacific Railroad workers.
Today, the Lodge is Cloudcroft's biggest attraction and biggest employer (see “Nearby
Places to Stay & Dine,” below). Other accommodations are also available in town, as are
lots of recreational opportunities and community festivals. For information, contact the
Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1290, Cloudcroft, NM 88317 ( & 866/
874-4447 or 575/682-2733; www.cloudcroft.net). It's in a log cabin in the center of
town, on the south side of US 82.
If you'd like a tasty meal in this mountain town, head to where the locals eat, Dave's
Café, 300 Burro Ave. ( & 575/682-2127 ). You can order from an array of sandwiches
and salads. Try the Coney-style burger with grilled onions, or the grilled chicken salad
with lots of veggies and bacon. For dessert, pick up truffles or ice cream from the attached
sweets shop. Dave's is open Sunday to Thursday 10:30am to 5pm and Friday and Satur-
day 10:30am to 7pm.