Ruidoso Downs Travel Guide

New Mexico is home to the charming town of Ruidoso Downs, an idyllic mountain oasis in the Sierra Blanca mountain range. With its roots deep in Native America culture plus Spanish settler influence, Ruidoso is a place with culture, museums, outdoor activities, casinos, a vibrant community, and a world-class mountain resort plus the Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

Things to Do in Ruidoso Downs

Top museums include The Hubbard Museum of the American West, great for educational history all about the Old West and the nearby Lincoln Courthouse Museum for preserved history and antiques.

For the great outdoors, hikes and horseback riding are popular. Hiking trails include The Grindstone Lake Loop and the less challenging Cedar Creek Trail. There is also fishing, golfing, and of course the horse races. The All American Futurity is the richest race in quarter horse racing internationally.

You absolutely can't come to Ruidoso and miss these two casinos: the Inn of the Mountain Gods and Billy the Kid Casino.

In winter you have to head over to Ski Apache, a ski resort with numerous different trails for beginning and advanced skiers and snowboarders, plus sleigh rides, tubing, and other snow adventures.

Best Time to Visit Ruidoso Downs

Summertime is a great time to visit for the horse races plus admire the scenery from outdoor hikes and horseback rides, or winter for the skiing and snowboarding at Ski Apache.