New Mexico’s Best Small Towns

There is a road leading to several lovely towns in New Mexico with breathtaking scenery and lovely areas for recreation.

Cloudcroft

This charming village has an elevation of 9,000 feet. Visitors will enjoy comfortable cabins, hiking, fishing, biking, horseback riding ice skating, and skiing. Skiiers can use a variety of lifts to reach the top of the mountain. Additional amenities include the historic hotel, golf course, and winery.

Mescalero

The Ski Apache Inn and Resort and Casino are operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The altitude of the Sierra Blanca mountain is 12,000 feet with a yearly snowfall of more than 15 feet. The top can be reached using a gondola or 11 different lifts. The amenities include mountain bikes for rent, hiking trails, a mountain zip line, gondola rides, disk golf, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, kayaking, biking, spa services, and concerts.

Ruidoso

Visitors come to this mountain oasis for summer horse races, hiking, skiing, camping, horseback riding, mountain views, comfortable lodges, hotels, resorts and cabins, unique boutiques, art galleries, the Hubbard Museum, restaurants, and White Mountain Wilderness. The combination of activities ensures an exceptional stay in Ruidoso.

Capitan

Capitan village is where Smoky Bear was born and buried. Some of the best attractions are the Smokey Bear gift shop, museum, Visitor’s Center, and Historical Park. The Wilderness Area encompasses more than 35,000 acres including hiking trails leading to the summit. Hikers often see black bears, wild turkeys, and mule deer.

Carrizozo

The Carrizozo Heritage Museum offers a video of the history of the town in addition to exhibits. Painted mules are sold to assist animal rescue efforts. Visitors can enjoy a variety of treats at the cafe including coffee, tea, Mexican pastries, and artisan chocolate. A lava flow more than 5000 years old is close to the village and ideal for a nice stroll. Birdwatchers can expect to encounter turkey vultures, cactus wrens, golden eagles, owls, hawks, and sparrows. The area is also home to lizards, mule deer, quail, and rabbits.

Three Rivers

The Petroglyphs Site dates back to 900 to 1400 AD with over 21,000 glyphs including animals, humans, birds, and fish. There are the remnants of a Mogollon village including prehistoric buildings, a campground, RV sites, and five shelters.