Top 5 Hikes Near Ruidoso, New Mexico
Top 5 Hikes Near Ruidoso, New Mexico
I have lived up here long enough that I count trail conditions the same way other people check the weather. Ruidoso sits at 6,900 feet in the Sacramento Mountains, and the Lincoln National Forest is basically our backyard. I get asked constantly which trails are worth doing, and honestly the hardest part is picking just five. But here are my honest favorites, the ones I keep coming back to season after season. Every single one of them is within 30 minutes of town, which means you can be boots-on-trail before your second cup of coffee has gone cold.
1. Grindstone Lake Trail
Distance: 4.2 miles (loop) Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
This is the one I tell people to do first, especially if they're not sure yet how altitude is going to treat them. The Grindstone Lake loop is gentle enough that you can ease into it, but pretty enough that it never feels like a consolation prize. The trail winds around the reservoir through big ponderosa pines, and on a calm morning the lake surface is so still it mirrors the tree line perfectly.
My tip: park at the lower lot off Sudderth rather than the main dam pullout. Less traffic, easier exit, and you start on the shaded side of the loop. Early mornings in summer you'll almost always see herons wading at the north end of the lake near the inlet. I've flushed a great horned owl out of the pines there more times than I can count.
One caveat: this trail gets muddy after monsoon rains in July and August. The section closest to the dam gets particularly soft. I've watched people in sneakers regret that choice. Wear something with grip.
2. Cedar Creek Trail
Distance: 3 miles (out and back) Difficulty: Easy Time: 1 to 1.5 hours
Cedar Creek is my go-to recommendation for families with little kids or anyone who just wants a relaxing walk without a lot of elevation. You follow the creek through mixed conifers and the sound of the water does something genuinely good for your nervous system. On a hot July afternoon when it's 95 degrees in El Paso, it can be a full 25 degrees cooler in that creek drainage. I've taken my nieces there every summer for years and they still ask to go back.
The best time to hike this one is mid-morning on a weekday. On summer weekends it gets crowded by noon and the parking pullout fills up fast. Get there before 9 a.m. and you might have the whole creek to yourself. The wildflowers along the banks in late June are legitimately beautiful. Columbines, Indian paintbrush, wild iris if you catch the timing right.
3. Lookout Mountain Trail
Distance: 5.8 miles (out and back) Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Time: 3 to 4 hours
Okay, this is where I have to be honest with you. Lookout Mountain is a real hike. The elevation gain is about 1,400 feet over less than three miles, and if you're coming from sea level, it will ask something of you. I've hiked it so many times I don't think about it anymore, but I've also watched plenty of visitors turn around halfway up with their hands on their knees.
That said, if you push through, the views from the top are the best in the area. You can see down the entire Ruidoso valley, out to White Sands on a clear day, and Sierra Blanca fills up the whole northern horizon. I hiked it last October and the aspens were so gold they looked lit from inside. That's the season to do it if you can.
Start early in summer, no later than 7 a.m. By early afternoon the exposed upper section gets hot and thunderstorms can build fast in monsoon season. I always carry at least two liters of water for this one, and I eat something substantial before I go. Not the trail to tackle on a granola bar and wishful thinking.
4. South Fork Trail
Distance: 6 miles (out and back) Difficulty: Moderate Time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours
This is my personal favorite. I have probably hiked the South Fork Trail a hundred times and I still find reasons to go back. It follows the Rio Ruidoso upstream into the wilderness area, which means once you're about a mile in, the sound of the village disappears completely and it's just you, the creek, and the trees.
The creek crossings are the fun part. There are four or five of them depending on water levels, and after snowmelt in April and May they can be ankle-deep. I keep a pair of cheap water shoes in my truck for exactly this trail. In fall, the aspens along the upper section turn yellow and orange and the light through them in the afternoon is something I genuinely look forward to all year.
Watch for elk sign in the meadow clearings about two miles in. I've seen entire herds in there on quiet mornings, usually between 6 and 8 a.m. before the trail gets foot traffic. The bull elk in September and October are something else entirely. Hearing them bugle from that valley is one of those mountain experiences that stays with you.
5. Crest Trail to Monjeau Lookout
Distance: 2 miles (out and back) Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Time: 1 to 1.5 hours
If someone has limited time or limited mobility but still wants that "I stood on top of the mountains" feeling, I send them to Monjeau. You drive up near Ski Apache, park at the Crest Trail trailhead, and walk two miles to the historic fire lookout tower. The views stretch a hundred miles on a clear day. I've seen weather rolling in from three different directions simultaneously up there. It's one of those spots that reminds you how small you are in the best possible way.
The tower itself is a National Historic Landmark, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. On weekends in summer a volunteer host is usually there and will tell you the whole history of the place. Well worth the conversation.
One thing to know: the road up to the trailhead gets icy and stays icy well into spring. I've been turned back by snow in April more than once. Check conditions before you drive up, and if there's any question, the Cedar Creek or Grindstone trails will be clear long before the crest road is.
After any of these hikes, you're going to want two things: a cold drink and somewhere to sit down and let your legs recover. Coming back to 2nd Street Retreat to soak in the hot tub while the sun drops behind the ridge is, I'll be honest, one of the better ways to end a day in these mountains. The elevation will have done its work on you. Let the water do the rest.