IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE TRAINS TRAVELED ACROSS CLOUDCROFT’S PRECARIOUS-LOOKING MEXICAN TRESTLE BACK IN THE DAY; TODAY THE AREA IS A HAVEN FOR HIKERS
VALLEY OF THE FIRES TO THREE RIVERS TO CLOUDCROFT
LAVA FLOWS, PETROGLYPHS, AND THE CLOUD-CLIMBING RAILROAD
From San Antonio, heading east on US 380, cross the intersection with NM 1 and almost immediately cross the Rio Grande. This arrow-straight two-lane highway provides the essence of a road trip—the perfect escape from the daily grind, the repetitions of your mind, the daily clamor, or whatever else you’d like to get away from. This is the grand, glorious, gorgeous big empty, the open road, all sky, horizons too far to measure, desert vegetation punctuated by spiky century plants, yucca, mint green creosote, juniper, cedar, and weathered wooden fence posts. The road has enough up-and-down elevation to keep you awake. Here you can see weather coming from any direction; distant summer storm clouds let loose fountains of smoky virga, or rain that falls without hitting the ground. Pillars of white thunderheads form and transform as you drive the 65 miles to Carrizozo. Along the way, cross the northern edge of the Jornada del Muerto, the arid stretch of the Camino Real, between the Rio Grande and the ghost town of Bingham.
Seven miles east of San Antonio, pass the Fite Ranch, a longtime working ranch that is now a rustic but comfortable B&B. Twelve miles east of San Antonio on US 380 is the gate that is 5 miles south of Stallion Range Center, the entry point to the Trinity Site, where the first atom bomb was tested in 1945, immediately prior to being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s open two days a year, in April and October.
Believed to be the youngest lava flow in the continental US, Little Black Peak, 9 miles north of Carrizozo, spewed lava a mere 1,500 to 5,000 years ago, well within ancestral memory, to create a valley 44 miles long and 5 miles wide. It formed the Valley of Fires Recreational Area. This malpais, or badlands, supports extensive Northern Chihuahan plant and animal life. Banana yucca, cane cholla, mesquite, sumac, and creosote abound, decorating the dramatic landscape of twisted, ropey lava. Because the lava here is similar to that found in Hawaii, Hawaiian words are used to describe the formations. For example, the more fluid lava that covers most of the field is called “pahoehoe.” Across from the park’s visitor center, find the trailhead of the 0.75-mile Malpais Nature Trail loop. The Recreation Area has 19 campsites, some electricity, drinking water, and shelters, and it is adjacent to the Malpais. Five miles west is the railroad town of Carrizozo, established in 1899, named for the area’s native carrizo grass. It was at one time a busy supply and shipping center for mines near Oscura, White Oaks, and the Nogal-Lincoln area to the east. With tremendous effort, the town, languishing at the crossroads of US 54 and US 380, is in the process of reinventing itself as something of an artist’s haven, and at least a half-dozen galleries, including a sizable photo gallery, the Tularosa Basin Gallery of Photography, which boasts of being the largest photo gallery in New Mexico at 7,500 square feet, hang on here, as do Gallery 408 and a few secondhand shops. One shop with a great deal of personality is the Soul of the West Bootique. You can grab a good cup of coffee at the 12th Street Coffee Shop. Neon-colored life size burro sculptures decorate the town’s main street, 12th Street, in a Burro Trail; you will often find burros in surprising places, like on rooftops. Like other small towns in New Mexico, such as Truth or Consequences, there is a deserted air here, characterized by a paradoxical feeling of abandonment and possibility. You could surmise there is nothing going on, or, there could be a lively creative pulse beating somewhere just beyond the surface, should you care to hang out long enough to search for it. This place is perhaps waiting to be discovered; perhaps it will be abandoned once again as the core group of 30 or so artists who have moved in depart for the next promising venue. A drive around town will show the practiced eye several interesting historic buildings, both commercial and residential. Open March through November is the Carrizozo Heritage Museum celebrating railroading and local ranching.
WELCOME TO CARRIZOZO, WHERE COLORFUL BURROS RESIDE ALL OVER TOWN
On the south end of town, take US 54 toward Three Rivers. US 54 parallels the railroad track. Pass the Oscuro (dark) Bombing Range, where, only 45 miles from here, the first atomic bomb was exploded at the Trinity Site on July 16, 1945.
In 31 miles, come to Three Rivers Trading Post and Art Gallery, a treasure trove packed with Western and Indian art and jewelry as well as books, tee shirts, and more. Cold drinks are available here, too, as well as information about the area. Three Rivers Ranch is loaded with New Mexico history, some of it still in dispute. For one thing, it was the hideout of Billy the Kid, who sheltered his stolen cattle here. By 1915, Senator Albert B. Fall of Teapot Dome scandal notoriety had acquired it. Fall was convicted of accepting a bribe while serving as Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding in 1921. Fall was one of the first two men who represented New Mexico in the US Senate. Here he built an empire of over a million acres.
But the primary reason to visit this spot is to see the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, maintained by the Bureau of Land Management, with 21,000 petroglyphs on the basaltic ridge that rises above the Three Rivers Valley, one of the largest rock art sites in the Southwest. Here you can take in panoramic views of the Tularosa Basin to the west and the 11,981-foot Sierra Blanca to the east. Many of the sunbursts, handprints, masks, and geometric designs are visible from the 1-mile winding trail. The cosmic spiral, believed to represent journeying, is evident here, as is Kokopelli, the hump-backed flute player believed to represent fertility. It is believed these images date from 900 to 1300 CE and were left by the Jornada Mogollon people. Dogs are not allowed on the trail. By all means, stay on the 1-mile round-trip trail and beware of rattlesnakes. One slithered along beside me as I made my way up the trail. Snakes here do not seem to crave the privacy rattlers usually do; they seem more accustomed to people than most snakes.
THREE RIVERS TRADING POST
Some people believe petroglyphs are picture writing, and certainly, they contain universal symbols, whether or not the meanings are universal. However, their literal meaning remains mysterious. They may indicate the presence of water or wildlife, or they may serve as a kind of map. Some were made by scratching the rock’s outer coating, while others were created by chipping through the rock patina with rocks, as if with a hammer and chisel. Scholars continue to debate whether the Jornada Mogollon people were influenced by, and are therefore related to, Mesoamerican culture, or if they developed independently.
It’s another 27 miles to Tularosa, a New Mexico village unlike any other. Two miles north of Tularosa on US 54 is Tularosa Winery, with premium wines made from New Mexico grapes as well as a good selection of New Mexico craft beer. You can bring your own picnic to savor on the covered patio overlooking the vineyard. There are tours by appointment.
In 1862, 100 farmers left Mesilla for this area when their fields were flooded out; when they arrived, they dug the acequias, or ditches, that still course around the “49” blocks of the historic district, providing the cooling sound of flowing water during the summer and an extraordinary water source for the giant trees that grace the town. Pomegranate trees, Lombardy poplar trees, and sycamore trees have inserted their roots deeply here, and they grow to great size; they provide habitats for songbirds who just can’t stop trilling about what a piece of heaven on Earth this is. The original 49 blocks make up a State and National Historic District. Historic Territorial homes were built by soldiers from the California Column of Union soldiers from California, who, after the Civil War, tended to settle down and marry local women. Walking the 49, even better, getting lost in it, to the sound of water from Sierra Blanca (home of Ski Apache) running in the ditches is otherworldly. When you crave refreshment, there’s Tulie Freeze for a chocolate dipped custard cone, and for more than a snack, head for Yum Yum’s Donut Shop, with barbecue beef, Mexican food, and donuts baked fresh every morning. Tularosa gets its name from the cattails (tulies) that grew here when it was a marshland. Tularosa is celebrated in the novels of Eugene Manlove Rhodes, known as the Cowboy Chronicler, who called Tularosa “Oasis.” The author ranched in the San Andres Mountains.
Sierra Blanca, a peak sacred to the Mescalero Apache, measures almost 12,000 feet and rises 7,000 feet up from the Tularosa Basin. It is the highest mountain in the White Mountains. It is a “complex volcano” composed of multiple flows, ash layers, and two or more vents. It last erupted 35 million years ago. As a valley lacking drainage, the Tularosa valley would be better described as a basin. It is 100 miles long, beginning at the southern end of Three Rivers, and it lies between the San Andres Mountains on the west and the Sacramentos on the east.
South of Tularosa on US 54 is La Luz, at the intersection with NM 545 at the traffic light. Go east 2.5 miles. This is the oldest ongoing settlement in the Tularosa Basin and dates to 1719. It feels like a lost village from a Gabriel García Márquez tale of magical realism, as if everyone had fallen into a deep sleep that lasted at least a century and was waiting to be woken up. It was settled by emigrants from Tome and Belen in 1860. Luz means “light,” and the legend of the name tells how the original settlers camped at Tularosa, where a fire, la luz, was lit each night to signal to the pioneers to the south that all was well. It also once had a sizable pottery plant, built by a Rhode Islander. Adobe walls surround El Presidio Park, perhaps the most lost-in-time spot in town, and one of New Mexico’s most evocative nooks and crannies, dated 1863. Take the La Luz exit and drive straight into town. The park is at the end of the road.
Back on US 54, McGinn’s Pistachios is easily recognized by its roadside attraction: The World’s Largest Pistachio in the parking lot. Inside the shop await all things pistachio, including souvenirs, samples of flavored pistachios, and wine tastings.
Following US 54 13.5 miles east from Tularosa, arrive at Alamogordo at the junction of US 54/70 and US 82. Along the drive between Tularosa and Alamogordo, it is possible to glimpse views of White Sands to the right. Alamogordo, meaning “big cottonwood tree,” got its name from the large trees that grew around the spring in Alamo Canyon. As the home of Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo has a population of 30,000, a shopping mall, chain motels, and restaurants. Alamogordo is perhaps the most convenient base for exploring White Sands, and the Toy Train Depot will appeal to children. The depot is actually 100 years old, with more than 1,200 miles of model train track and toy trains on display. Train buffs will enjoy the historic railroad artifacts. The 2.5-mile-long toy train track is adjacent to Kid’s Kingdom Park, a playground where kids can let off steam. To get to the Alameda Park and Zoo, turn left at 10th Street. This is the oldest zoo in New Mexico, established in 1898 by the railroad. It has 300 animals and 90 different species. On Scenic Drive off Indian Wells Road is the New Mexico Museum of Space History, five stories of informative displays as well as the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, a total immersion experience in the starry heavens, along with a replica of the International Space Station. Ham, the first hominid (a chimpanzee) launched into and recovered from space, is buried beneath the museum flagpoles. The growth of Alamogordo, which began as a planned community following the Railroad Era, is linked to military and federal installations. Wartime activity at Holloman Air Force Base brought growth, and then, during the 1950s, the base was re-activated, and the White Sands Missile Range quadrupled the population.
The White Sands National Monument is 15 miles west of Alamogordo on US 70. Dunes Drive extends 17 miles into 275 square miles of pure gypsum. Thanks largely to the efforts of New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, White Sands recently recieved National Park status. This is the largest of only three sites of its kind in the world. The forces of wind and water have eroded the Sacramento and San Andres Mountains, which frame the Tularosa Basin and both have high gypsum content, into Lake Lucero. From there, winds blow the crystals toward the northeast at up to 20 feet a year, continuing the evolution of the White Sands. Some dunes are stable enough to support vegetation such as yucca and saltbush, while others do not yet support plant life. The White Sands are a virtual laboratory of evolution, with the development of the earless white lizard and other similar creatures who have learned to survive here. You can hike the dunes, bike a little, or surf the sand on a saucer. Monthly Full Moon nights require reservations, as do monthly three-hour guided tours of Lake Lucero.
One of the most dramatic drives in New Mexico is the 26 miles on US 82 between Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. As the road winds toward the Sacramento Mountains, leave the desert flatlands to find valleys filled with orchards leading to mountain meadows and peaks of tall pines, along with mind-blowing expansive views. Pass High Rolls, site of the High Rolls Cherry Festival. The village of Cloudcroft, at 9,100 feet, was originally founded as a railroad town and quickly became a resort for El Paso residents seeking relief from summer heat. This town makes a good base for hiking the Lincoln National Forest, mountain biking on the Rim Trail, winter snow sports at the local snow play area or the James Sewell ice skating rink, or just a cool summer getaway. Burro Street is the “downtown,” packed with cute boutiques, ice cream and snack stands, bakeries, and souvenir shops. The Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village comprise restored buildings and a museum of artifacts. Motels and B&B’s abound, but the most outstanding place to stay is the Lodge Resort & Spa, a gracious small inn with an elegant traditional American restaurant and superb service at Rebecca’s, a good place for celebratory dinners and Sunday brunch, along with a high altitude nine-hole golf course that follows Scottish rules of play. The Lodge, with its two-story rock fireplace, was originally constructed in 1899 by the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway in its quest for timber and railway ties. Climb up the bell tower and see the signatures of Clark Gable, Judy Garland, and other celebrities who visited here. Every governor of New Mexico has stayed in the Governor’s Suite. There is also supposedly a resident ghost of a red-headed housekeeper, Rebecca, who disappeared after her logger lover found her with another man. The Victorian-style Lodge is especially charming during the holidays, with its vintage Christmas decorations. Cloudcroft also offers a system of hiking trails, the Cloud Climbing Trestle Trails, created along overgrown railroad beds by the Rails-to-Trails Association. Depart from the Depot on the Overlook Trail for 0.2 mile. After enjoying the view from the Devil’s Elbow visiting deck, continue to merge into the Cloud Climbing Trestle Trail. Go right on T-5001. See the remains of the S trestle to the left. In 0.8 mile, reach the Mexican Canyon Trestle that spans 300 feet and stands 130 feet above the bottom of the canyon. The precarious wooden trestle looks far too fragile to support the weight of a train. To return, retrace your steps to the Depot to complete a 2-mile hike. The Sacramento Rim National Recreation Trail follows the rim of the Sacramento Mountains in a moderate 14-mile hike, yielding sprawling views of Tularosa Basin 5,000 feet below. To get to the trailheads from Cloudcroft, head west on US 82 toward Alamogordo. Just beyond the US 82/NM130 junction, turn left into the Trestle Recreation Area. This day use area houses a replica of the Historic Cloudcroft Train Depot. Here find parking restrooms, water, picnic tables, and trail access.
IF YOU CLIMB UP TO THE TOWER AT THE LODGE AT CLOUDCROFT, YOU WILL FIND THE SIGNATURES OF CLARK GABLE AND JUDY GARLAND
The Alamogordo and Sacramento Railroad, better known as the Cloud-Climbing Railroad, was an ambitious dream of entrepreneur Charles B. Eddy, who arrived in New Mexico from New York with his brother John A. Eddy in the late 19th century. His El Paso and Northeastern Railroad chugged through the Tularosa Valley to Santa Rosa in the late 1890s, stopping at Carrizozo and Three Rivers. His railroad needed wood for ties, and so the Cloud-Climbing spur pushed from 4,322 feet up to 9,069 feet into the forest for timber, making hair-raising turns as it crossed the Sacramento Mountains. The 52-foot-high wooden railroad trestle across Mexican Canyon (see description above), which still stands, was one of 58 such crossings. Eddy’s spur into the clouds carried passengers into the cool, fresh mountain air, stopping at the site the crew had established: Cloudcroft. The last train came through the Sacramento Mountains in 1947.
Lincoln National Forest offers a million acres of hiking, backpacking, trail riding and camping, with good cross-country skiing through the Sacramento Mountains near Cloudcroft. Many camping facilities are located within a 4-mile radius of Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Ranger District. These sites may be accessed by Highways 82, 130, 244, and 6563.
Ruidoso means “noisy water.” This place was known as Dowlin’s Mill until 1885, when it was named for the Rio Ruidoso that runs through it. Captains Paul and William Dowlin were drawn to the river to build a sawmill and then a grist mill. This popular tourist town lies 47 miles from Cloudcroft north on NM 244; or, alternatively, 32 miles northeast of Tularosa on US 70. It is the home of Ruidoso Downs, best known for the All-American Futurity, the nation’s richest Quarter horse race. Horse racing began here in a cornfield in the 1930s. Expect crowds and challenging parking—or difficulty even getting into a restaurant—during high summer season. The crowds are likely to be gathered on Sudderth Street, the main drag, packed with bars, cafés, housewares, clothing, jewelry, souvenir stores, and western shops. During quieter times of the year, there is much to appreciate. Golfing, hiking, and horseback riding are some of the most popular pastimes, but shopping seems to be the favorite. A favorite café on the main drag is the Village Buttery, which serves homemade soups and desserts as well as satisfying fresh salads and sandwiches. The Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs originated as the Museum of the Horse and has expanded into a rich Western history museum.
IN THE AREA
Accommodations
FITE RANCH BED & BREAKFAST, P.O. Box 205, San Antonio, 7.5 miles east of San Antonio on US 360. Call 575-838-0958. $$$.
INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS RESORT AND CASINO, 287 Carrizo Canyon Road, Mescalero. Call 575-464-7777. $$–$$$.
LODGE AT CLOUDCROFT, 601 Corona Place, Cloudcroft. Call 575-682-2089. $$–$$$.
STORY BOOK CABINS, 410 Main Road, Ruidoso. Call 888-257-2115. $$.
Attractions and Recreation
HUBBARD MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST, 26301 US 70, Ruidoso Downs. Call 575-378-4142.
LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST, 3463 Las Palomas Road, Alamogordo. Call 575-434-7200.
OLIVER LEE MEMORIAL STATE PARK, 409 Dog Canyon Road, Alamogordo. Call 575-437-8284.
SPENCER THEATER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, 108 Spencer Drive, Alto. Call 575-336-4800.
WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT, 15 miles west of Alamogordo on US 70. Call 575-679-2599.
Dining and Drinks
CASA DE SUENOS, 35 St. Francis Drive, Tularosa. Call 575-585-3494. $$.
GATHERING OF NATIONS BUFFET, Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino, Mescalero. Call 800-545-9011. $–$$.
REBECCA’S, The Lodge, 1 Corona Place, Cloudcroft. Call 575-682-2566. $$$.
SACRED GROUNDS COFFEE & TEA HOUSE, 2704 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso. Call 575-257-2273. $.
VILLAGE BUTTERY, 2701 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso. Call 575-585-3457. $.
YUM YUM’S DONUT SHOP, 460 Central Avenue, Tularosa. Call 575-585-2529. $.