Plan Your Ruidoso Getaway

 

Whether you're the outdoor enthusiast, a foodie, an art-connoisseur or looking for family fun, Ruidoso, New Mexico offers unforgettable experiences for all ages.

From attractions to cultural and historical sites, Ruidoso is the perfect place for travelers for all ages.

Looking for thrills and spills on your Ruidoso adventure? Let loose on one of these action-packed activities, discover year-round downhill adventures at Ski Apache, or enjoy family time at Ruidoso’s alpine lakes.

Start planning your adventure today!

 

Explore Ruidoso’s Wide Open Spaces

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Wibit Water Park at Grindstone Lake (Seasonal, Summer only).
Wibit Water Park at Grindstone Lake (Seasonal, Summer only).

HEAD’S UP, SUMMER VISITORS! 2025 Wibit Water Park Opening Delayed Due to Low Water Levels: The Ruidoso Wibit Water Park at Grindstone Lake will not open as planned due to low water levels. Conditions will be re-evaluated mid-June to determine if the park can be set up later this summer. We appreciate your patience and will share updates as soon as they become available.

2025 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Ruidoso by AllTrails
2025 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Ruidoso by AllTrails

Exploring the great outdoors in Ruidoso? AllTrails has compiled a list of the 10 best trails and routes in the region, just waiting for you to explore. Choose from an array of easy routes for day trips with the family, or check out some trails laden with historical sights. There are plenty of nature spots in and around Ruidoso to explore, with routes suitable for all skill levels.

Walk, Run, or Bike the Links Fitness Trail in Ruidoso
Walk, Run, or Bike the Links Fitness Trail in Ruidoso

The Links Fitness Trail in Ruidoso is a scenic, 3-mile paved loop great for families, walkers, runners, and cyclists. Set around the Links at Sierra Blanca Golf Course, it features gentle climbs, mountain views, and a safe, dog-friendly path. With restrooms, parking, and a water fountain, it’s an easy outdoor activity for all ages to enjoy together.

Plan Your Ruidoso Adventure: Important Lincoln National Forest Wildfire Safety Guidelines
Plan Your Ruidoso Adventure: Important Lincoln National Forest Wildfire Safety Guidelines

The Lincoln National Forest is now under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, beginning March 10, 2025, to ensure public safety and protect forest resources from the risk of wildfire. With dry conditions persisting, forest managers urge visitors to familiarize themselves with these new regulations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.

5 Powerful Reasons to Plan a Ruidoso Mountain Getaway Right Now
5 Powerful Reasons to Plan a Ruidoso Mountain Getaway Right Now

Escape to the mountains of Ruidoso for fresh air, star-filled skies, stunning views, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. This scenic alpine village offers the perfect year-round getaway for slow travel, relaxation, and outdoor adventure. Discover five powerful reasons to make Ruidoso your next soul-soothing vacation destination.


Camping with Kids in Ruidoso: Tips for a Smooth Adventure
Camping with Kids in Ruidoso: Tips for a Smooth Adventure

Camping with kids in Ruidoso can create lifelong memories without the stress. Start small by choosing a nearby campsite and keeping meals simple. Bring comfort items from home to make the tent cozy, and let kids take on small tasks to build excitement. Embrace flexibility, keep it fun, and focus on making memories rather than perfection for a rewarding family adventure.

Find Your Winter Serenity in Ruidoso
Find Your Winter Serenity in Ruidoso

Escape to Ruidoso's winter serenity in the Sierra Blanca mountains. Relax with peaceful strolls on snow-covered trails, breathe in crisp air, and enjoy a magical horse-drawn sleigh ride. Rejuvenate with spa treatments that soothe the spirit, and cozy up by the fire as night falls. Surrounded by stunning scenery and local charm, Ruidoso is the ideal mountain retreat for a tranquil winter getaway.

Tee off in Ruidoso
Tee off in Ruidoso

Cool temperatures. Unbelievable scenery. This is the Ruidoso golf experience. With four spectacular Ruidoso area golf courses, each course is situated against breathtaking backdrops with its own personality and landscape. Discover which one is best for you.

Time Your 2025 Stargazing Travels with the Next Meteor Showers in Ruidoso
Time Your 2025 Stargazing Travels with the Next Meteor Showers in Ruidoso

If seeing stars, constellations, and the Milky Way in the sky is your idea of a perfect vacation, forgo the city in favor of the breathtaking grandeur of the Ruidoso nightscape. To make your stay more memorable, we have put together a list of our top recommended meteor shower dates for the year 2025.

Discover Things to Do with Kids in Ruidoso

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Thrills Await on the Mountain Coaster and Tubing in Ruidoso!
Thrills Await on the Mountain Coaster and Tubing in Ruidoso!

Experience the thrill of the Screaming Eagle Mountain Coaster and Tubing in Ruidoso! Ride New Mexico’s only Mountain Coaster with 5100 feet of waves, dips, and a 360-degree helix. Enjoy high-speed fun with state-of-the-art safety features. For winter excitement, try the tubing hill with magic carpet lifts and thrilling downhill rides. Perfect for family fun and adventure seekers of all ages!

Camping with Kids in Ruidoso: Tips for a Smooth Adventure
Camping with Kids in Ruidoso: Tips for a Smooth Adventure

Camping with kids in Ruidoso can create lifelong memories without the stress. Start small by choosing a nearby campsite and keeping meals simple. Bring comfort items from home to make the tent cozy, and let kids take on small tasks to build excitement. Embrace flexibility, keep it fun, and focus on making memories rather than perfection for a rewarding family adventure.

Ruidoso Winter Adventure: The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Family Itinerary 
Ruidoso Winter Adventure: The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Family Itinerary 

Experience a magical family winter getaway in Ruidoso, NM! This kid-friendly itinerary is packed with snowy adventures, festive lights, and cozy dining—from tubing and ice skating to exploring historic sites. Get ready for unforgettable family fun in this charming mountain town!

Fantasy fairies hide along the pathway in Ruidoso Parks (Seasonal, April - September)
Fantasy fairies hide along the pathway in Ruidoso Parks (Seasonal, April - September)

Fantasy fairies hide along the pathway at Ruidoso's Two Rivers Park and Wingfield Park. Magic wands, tiny houses, and whimsical fairies add fun for the young. Visitors may be startled when walking along village park trails to see a trout jumping out of the water and riding on his back, the smallest of the fairy folk.

Eat. Drink. Play. Get your game on at the Ruidoso Bowling Center.
Eat. Drink. Play. Get your game on at the Ruidoso Bowling Center.

With 10 bowling lanes, 4 pool tables, dartboards, arcade games, a restaurant, and a lounge for parties and events, the Ruidoso Bowling Center is a fun, year-round, family-friendly entertainment destination where everybody gets to play.

Pillow’s Funtrackers: Fun for the entire family
Pillow’s Funtrackers: Fun for the entire family

Pillow’s Funtrackers in Ruidoso is a great place for family entertainment and family outings. At Funtrackers you'll find fun for all ages at this family-favorite Ruidoso amusement park offering 3 go-kart tracks, 18-hole mini-golf, bumper boats, a maze, and arcade games.

Kid-Favorites in Ruidoso
Kid-Favorites in Ruidoso

Kids of all ages will have plenty of family fun in Ruidoso. Many area attractions, such as hiking, fishing, swimming, and skiing, are perfect for the entire family. Plan the perfect family vacation with these fun kid-friendly trip ideas.

Top 10 Things To Do With Kids In Ruidoso by Explorer Momma
Top 10 Things To Do With Kids In Ruidoso by Explorer Momma

Explorer Momma, Lauren Gonikishvili, shares insider tips for planning a family-friendly Ruidoso getaway.

Unforgettable Family Adventures in Ruidoso: Top Activities for Fun and Bonding
Unforgettable Family Adventures in Ruidoso: Top Activities for Fun and Bonding

Discover unforgettable family adventures in Ruidoso! From go-cart racing at Funtrackers to gold panning at Flying J Ranch, there’s endless fun for all ages. Cool off at Grindstone Lake Wibit Water Park or ride paddle boats on Mescalero Lake. Enjoy kid-friendly hiking trails, archery, golf, and more. For year-round fun, visit the Skateboard Park and tennis courts. Explore Ruidoso’s family-friendly activities today!

White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park

Visitors to this endless waterless sea can enjoy driving, hiking, visiting a museum and sledding down the huge dunes.

IN THE PRESS: Geocaching takes off in Ruidoso
IN THE PRESS: Geocaching takes off in Ruidoso

"Ever want to be an explorer? Perhaps a treasure hunter, but the idea of lugging a metal detector around seems like too much work? Geocaching, a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity, may be for you." - Ruidoso News

Discover the Story of the American West

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Wingfield Heritage House Museum: A Journey Through Ruidoso’s History
Wingfield Heritage House Museum: A Journey Through Ruidoso’s History

Discover Ruidoso’s rich history at the Wingfield Heritage House Museum, a beautifully restored 1920s home. Once a family residence and business hub, it now features curated exhibits on early settlers, Native cultures, and the town’s evolution. Explore preserved rooms, uncover local traditions, and connect with the stories that shaped Ruidoso’s past and present.

Explore Smokey Bear Historical Park: A Tribute to an Icon
Explore Smokey Bear Historical Park: A Tribute to an Icon

Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, NM, near Ruidoso, honors the legacy of Smokey Bear, the iconic symbol of wildfire prevention. The park features indoor and outdoor exhibits on forest health, fire safety, and black bears. Visitors can explore Smokey’s tranquil grave, enjoy a family-friendly playground, and take a stroll through climate zone replicas. Day-use only; service dogs allowed. 

Lincoln State Historic Site
Lincoln State Historic Site

Lincoln, the most widely visited historic site in New Mexico, is part of a community frozen in time—the 1870s and 1880s. The historic site includes 17 structures and outbuildings, four of which are open year-round and two more seasonally as museums.

Lincoln County History and Heritage: An immersive 3-Day Ruidoso trip itinerary
Lincoln County History and Heritage: An immersive 3-Day Ruidoso trip itinerary

Discover Lincoln County, New Mexico – a region steeped in rich history and vibrant heritage. Embark on a captivating three-day trip itinerary based in Ruidoso, where the spirit of the American West comes alive.

Fort Stanton State Historic Site
Fort Stanton State Historic Site

The Fort Stanton State Historic Site is a must-see historic attraction when visiting Lincoln County.  Few sites in the nation encompass the breadth of history seen at the Fort.

Mescalero Apache Tribe
Mescalero Apache Tribe

Established in 1873 by presidential order, the Mescalero Apache reservation covers 720 square miles of land adjacent to the Village of Ruidoso. The Mescalero Apache Tribe owns and operates both Ski Apache Ski Resort and the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino as well as other Reservation-based enterprises. 

Billy The Kid National Scenic Byway
Billy The Kid National Scenic Byway

Visit historic Lincoln, once home to outlaw Billy the Kid and lawman Pat Garrett. on this scenic drive through the rugged beauty of the million-acre Lincoln National Forest.

White Oaks Ghost Town
White Oaks Ghost Town

White Oaks is a Lincoln County ghost town just north of Carrizozo that became a boomtown in 1879 following the discovery of gold and coal in the nearby Jicarilla Mountains. Today, there's a small historic museum, a legendary saloon, and the White Oaks Pottery art studio. 

No Scum Allowed Saloon
No Scum Allowed Saloon

Located in White Oaks, once a booming gold mining town, the No Scum Allowed Saloon is one of the best cowboy bars in America. The saloon atmosphere is good old-fashioned country: open and friendly, with good music and cold beer at the ready.

New Mexico Museum of Space History
New Mexico Museum of Space History

The New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, New Mexico celebrates the significant role the state of New Mexico has played in the development of the U.S. Space Program.

Plan Using our Seasonal Trip Guides

Get Inspired by Ruidoso Travel Videos

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Summer in Ruidoso, New Mexico

The mountains are calling. Start planning your summer vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico: discoverruidoso.com

VIDEO: OHV fun with Back Country Attitudes

Have you checked out Ruidoso's newest outdoor adventure outfitter?! Back Country Attitudes will take you on 80 miles of trails during this 4-hour white-knuckle adventure that will leave you with a dusty smile from ear to ear.

VIDEO: Wind Rider Zip Line at Ski Apache.

The world famous Wind Rider Zip Line at Ski Apache.

VIDEO: Grindstone Disc Golf Course
VIDEO: Ruidoso Outdoor Recreation

Discover mountain biking, trails, fishing and other year-round outdoor recreation activities in and around Ruidoso, New Mexico.

VIDEO - All American Country Music Festival 2018: Day One Recap

If you missed the first annual All American Country Music Festival at Wingfield Park in Ruidoso, New Mexico here's a quick recap of the night featuring knock out performances by Walker McGuire and Josh Abbott Band. LANCO headlined day 2! discoverruidoso.com

VIDEO: Fall into Ruidoso

The leaves are changing. There's the smell of green chiles roasting in the air. The air is turning colder. Come take a drive up Ski Run Road in Ruidoso, New Mexico with us.

VIDEO: 2018 Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium

Here's a look back at the 29th Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium. You'll find chuck wagons, live music, great food, and fun for the whole family.

VIDEO: Powder Day at Ski Apache

Chasing powder in Ruidoso. 🙌

⛷ Matt Ingram and Eric Vaughn, 🏂 Logan Fle, 🎿 Ski Apache and Ski New Mexico.

VIDEO: Tee off in Ruidoso

Cool temperatures, unbelievable scenery and some of the best golf in the state of New Mexico. This is #GolfRuidoso.