RUIDOSO HORSEBACK RIDING OUTFITTERS
Several outfitters will get you ready to enjoy Ruidoso horseback riding and some include guides for hire. Expect some woodsy trail riding with great views from the hilltops near our Ruidoso cabins. You may cruise around the outskirts of town with a leisurely ½-hour or hour-long ride to get a taste of time in the saddle.
There are great opportunities for all ages, but especially younger novice riders. You may also ride deep into the White Mountain Wilderness in the Lincoln National Forest. Half-day, full-day, and even overnight rides can be arranged for adults and older children of all experience levels.
In the summer, be prepared for an afternoon shower. It is good to layer your clothing any time of year to be most comfortable. Wear long pants for any extended ride to protect your legs from saddle chaffing. Bring liquids, snacks, and a camera because you never know when you’ll get that golden opportunity to snap a photo of a big bull elk in the wild.
RUIDOSO HORSEBACK RIDING OUTFITTERS
Bonito Stables / Runnels Outfitters
Runnels specializes in wilderness trail riding. Call for current information. Cash only! (575) 354-2778
Grindstone Stables
Grindstone Stables has been offering horseback rides for over 20 years. Customer service, hospitality, and great horses are their main priorities. Depending on the season, Grindstone Stables also offers sleigh rides through midtown Ruidoso in the summer and up and down brilliantly decorated Upper Canyon during the winter holidays. 575-257-2241
Inn of the Mountain Gods Stables
The Inn of the Mountain Gods offers one-hour daily trail rides. Guests who would like to ride longer are asked to make a reservation. (575) 464-7424
Come Golf a Mountain Paradise!
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Enjoy the best in Las Vegas-style gaming in the Southwest at Inn of the Mountain Gods. From penny slots to a complete complement of table games, including: Blackjack, Craps, Poker, Three Card Poker, Roulette, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em Poker, Mississippi Stud. Plus, great gaming promotions that never end!
For over 30 years, folks have been stepping back into the legendary era of the Great American Cowboy at the Flying J Ranch. We invite you to experience an evening of great chuck wagon cooking and western music much like cowboys would have enjoyed after a long day on the trail. Flying J Ranch is committed to providing your family and friends a memorable evening of the absolute best that western hospitality has to offer.
Other Entertainment
Where else can you ski all morning and play a round of golf in the afternoon?
New Mexico golf courses are unsurpassed in Ruidoso, NM. Ruidoso golf courses include the Inn of the Mountain Gods, the Links of Sierra Blanca, Cree Meadows and the Country club courses at Alto Lakes, Kokopeli, The Outlaw at Lincoln Hills and Rainmakers. When golfing in New Mexico, Ruidoso is a must. Our mountain golf courses offer some of the best weather for year round play and a selection of styles and challenges. Come take a swing in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
The Inn of the Mountain Gods – is a breathtaking mountain course in one of the most spectacular settings you will ever find. Designed by Ted Robinson, this championship course boasts an island fairway. Backed by majestic Sierra Blanca it has been ranked number one in the state on many occasions and has been listed in the top 25 golf courses in the United States. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for the deer or elk to cross the fairways before you hit your next shot. This unique design will continually challenge your imagination. The fast bent greens will get you talking to yourself as you attempt to read the lie. Keep in mind that the primary slope is away from that majestic mountain. With unlimited water, this course is always in excellent condition. The cross cut fairways leading off into the ponderosa pine covered hills is truly breathtaking. Certainly a must play when you visit our area. This facility is the most challenging of the mountain courses with fast breaking greens. It plays long and hard from the forward tees and challenges all aspects of your game.PUBLIC RESORT, 18 holes, 6834 yards, rating 70.2, slope 128 (575) 464-7444 or (575) 464-7945
The Links at Sierra Blanca – was designed by Senior Tour player Jim Colbert and is in the Scottish links style. This course is the premier public course in southern New Mexico and was nominated to the Golf Digest list of best new public courses in 1991. It was rated 7th best course in New Mexico and was awarded 3 1/2 stars by Golf Digest in 1995. Its rolling fairways flanked by thick mounds rewards accurate tee shots and allows you to hit your approach shots to large undulating greens. A diverse layout of holes makes for an interesting round as the risk-reward features can tempt the gambling nature in all of us. A well managed round can have you walk the course with lighter feet. This public course is one our most popular so make sure you call ahead. Most of the Sun Country Amateur Tournaments make The Links their home for this area. Women will have a distinct advantage off the tee boxes. Contact the pro shop for details for any league play.
PUBLIC, 18 holes, 6757 yards, slope 105, rating 63.0 off forward tees. (575) 258-5330.
Cree Meadows Golf Course – is the areas oldest course with an unparalleled view of the Sacramento Mountains to the west. Affordable, playable, and immaculately groomed, Cree Meadows hosts some of the best mountain views in the country. It's tight fairways and small greens call for accurate shot making and a strong putter. A semi-private course, outside play is welcome. Reasonable green fees and preferred tee times are available at Cree Meadows year around. Several tournaments throughout the year attract a majority of visitors. Cree Meadows begins the tournament season in May with The Colts and Fillies mixed partnership, that's followed with the Cree Uprising Ladies partnership in June. In August Cree plays host to the Leroy Gooch Match Play, an individual match play tournament. 'The Gooch' is the first of three men's tournaments hosted in the fall. The Johnny Williams Partnership is a two man event played in September, probably the best month to be in Ruidoso. Finally the big show, The Doug Bass Partnership is a two man event played at three of the areas golf courses, over one-hundred teams test their golf skills at Cree Meadows, The Links at Sierra Blanca, and The Inn of the Mountain Gods. Come experience breathtaking views of Sierra Blanca from our full service restaurant and lounge which will make your golf experience complete. Contact the golf shop for information at 575-257-5815.
PUBLIC, 18 holes, 5766 yards, rating 66.4, slope 104. (575) 257-5815.
The Lodge at Cloudcroft – Not far away in Cloudcroft is New Mexico's highest golf course, second highest in the world! At 9200 feet, this 9-hole course is laid out among the pines and aspens. Bring lots of balls and cash to buy more!! Marti, the pro-shop manager has lots of surprises for guests and locals to get to know one another in her famous Wednesday scrambles.
RESORT, 9 holes, 4774 yards. (575) 682-2098
National Parks Nearby
Beauty and Wonder; Above and Below
High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus and desert wildlife - treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 known caves - all formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes.
Skiing/Snowboarding
As the country’s southernmost ski area, Ski Apache offers the best warm-weather powder skiing in the world with snowmaking on 33% of the mountain. The slopes offer a mix of wide beginner slopes, tough bump runs, a huge bowl, nice cruising runs and a terrain park with jumps, tubes and rails. Here are just a few of the highlights:
The alpine peak of Sierra Blanca is over 12,000 feet
Annual snowfall over 15 feet!
11 lifts including New Mexico’s only passenger Gondola to the top – the Gazebo
Enhanced snow-making all the way to the top
Vertical drop of 1,900 feet
Amount of mountain open depends on snowfall call 575-464-1234 for the daily snow report
Zip-lining
Take your zip-lining experience above and beyond with this three-span zip tour. This beautifully stunning adventure begins and rises above 11,000 feet. It is also complete with parallel cables so riders can glide down the mountain side-by-side. The adrenaline-pumping, three-part zip tour reaches over 8,900 feet in length, making it one of the longest in the world while offering a thrilling and unforgettable experience.
ELEVATION: 11,489 ft. at the top of Ski Apache
LENGTH: 8,890 feet
SPEED: up to 65MPH
DURATION: Total tour estimated time 1.5 hour
VIEWS: Most spectacular view in southern New Mexico
Don’t miss the best chart-topping, high-energy entertainment the south west has to offer. Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino features electrifying music, dance and comedy entertainment year round. Planning a trip? View our upcoming shows and purchase your tickets in advance.
Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Billy the Kid Casino is a unique mix of old and new. Starting in the 1930s in Mr. Miller's cornfields, racing in the Ruidoso Downs has had a long tradition of firsts and record breaking. It is the only horse track in the United States and Europe that has a separate quarter horse straightaway and oval thoroughbred tracks giving our spectators a unique venue. Nestled in the cool pines of Lincoln County, the track offers world class racing in a down home environment. During the live racing season spectators are treated to 9-13 races most Fridays thru Mondays.
Like No Place Else on Earth
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live there.
Trails, trails and more trails. Ruidoso is surrounded by over a million acres of National Forest and wilderness; hiking, mountain biking, and horseback trails are plentiful.