Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | T | Texas Monthly

New Mexico. (advertising).

Article Excerpt
Ever since Francisco Vasquez de Coronado searched the Southwest for the gold-laden Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540, visitors have been discovering what the Spanish explorer missed--that New Mexico's real treasure is the diversity of its natural beauty, rich cultural attractions, and variety of things to see and do.

Few states can boast six of the earth's seven life zones. From red rock mesas to lush green mountains, from towering white dunes to fantastic cave formations and twisted volcanic badlands, New Mexico's landscape never ceases to awe and amaze. That means outdoor sports and recreation are as varied as the Land of Enchantment's terrain. Here you can hike and bike through sunset-hued canyons and cool mountain meadows, schuss down runs in twelve southern Rockies ski areas, and golf below soaring desert mesas. Crystal-clear lakes and streams beckon anglers with trout, bass, and walleye. Water enthusiasts go wind-surfing, water skiing, scuba diving, and whitewater rafting.

New Mexico's Southwest culture is equally rich. Here you can see ancient cliff dwellings and Spanish Colonial missions, enjoy ceremonial dances at Native American pueblos occupied for centuries, and savor the visual and intellectual feast of myriad museums and galleries. You can celebrate at a host of summer festivals or gamble at Native American casinos all over the state. From red and green chiles to a burgeoning wine industry, you'll taste a delectable cuisine that makes the most of everything grown and raised here.

Best of all, discovering New Mexico's wealth is easy on the two dozen state and national scenic byways that highlight the most beautiful scenery and best attractions of every region. For more information to help you plan a vacation in New Mexico, call 800-SEE-NEW-MEX or visit newmexico.org.

SOUTHEAST: BILLY THE KID C0UNIRY

Ruidoso. About a two-hour drive north from El Paso, Ruidoso makes a good base for exploring the scenic terrain where Billy the Kid and Geronimo made history. Perched in New Mexico's southernmost Rockies at the edge of the desert, this village in the pines at 7,000 feet has a climate ideal for golf, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and trout fishing in the noisy river that gave Ruidoso its Spanish name.

Here you can also pan for gold with the Lincoln County Gold Mining Company, shop in myriad art galleries and boutiques, and try your luck on the horses at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack or gaming at Casino Apache, run by Geronimo's descendants. The Mescalero Apache tribe also operates Ski Apache (18 miles from Ruidoso) and plans to unveil its new Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino in late 2004. Equine history is big here, too. Ruidoso's Hubbard Museum of the American West portrays the horse's role on the frontier with a magnificent collection of saddles, wagons, and Indian art. The town's All-American Festival (Aug. 10-Sept. 1) leads up to the Labor Day running of the All-American futurity at Ruidoso Downs.

Billy the Kid. Follow the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway to the history-packed town of Lincoln, where the Robin Hood of the West became notorious during the Lincoln County War, an 1878 feud over control of the region's beef trade that erupted in gun battles. Billy the Kid finally met his match in 1881 when Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned him down at Old Fort Sumner, where he is buried. A museum at the fort and living-history guides in Lincoln reveal the fascinating true story of the reckless teenager who became an icon of America's wildest frontier days. Old Lincoln Days celebrate Lincoln's Wild West heritage (Aug. 1-3).

Ancient and Natural Wonders. The prehistoric past speaks in stone at Three Rivers Petroglyph National Recreation Site, where ten centuries ago native people chipped more than 5,000 images into rocks. At Valley of Fires State Park, the 1,000-year-old petrified lava flow that hardened into twisted badlands testifies to the geologic upheavals that shaped this dramatic land.

Another natural wonder is White Sands National Monument, 300 square miles of towering gypsum sand dunes where visitors rent saucers (the desert's equivalent of surfboards) to ride the world's largest deposit of gypsum sand, which often resembles waves. On August 11-12, this park, 17 miles southwest of Alamogordo, stays open until 11 p.m. for special moonlit events and tours. Alamogordo celebrates the past with its Toy Train Depot Museum, housing 8,000 model trains in a historic railroad station. Its New Mexico Museum of Space History, including an Imax Dome Theater and planetarium, records our reach for the stars.

Roswell and Carlsbad. On the drive back to El Paso, loop through Roswell, where the International UFO Museum tells the story of the 1947 Roswell incident in which a flying saucer allegedly crashed near town. The Roswell Museum and Art Center not only displays American masters such as Georgia O'Keeffe but also has recreated the workshop...