Visiting the Southernmost US Ski Areas
For more than 25 years, we’ve always taken our first turns by Thanksgiving. But if you follow ski area conditions, you know that snowfall totals across much of the US were pretty dismal at the beginning of the season.
We weren’t in a hurry to ski manmade snow, so we spent December hiking in Utah’s national parks and monuments instead. A worthy compromise!
By the New Year, ski conditions still weren’t looking all that fantastic. Regardless, we decided it would be fun to visit ski areas we hadn’t yet skied, explore the towns where they reside, and check out other points of interest.
So, we kicked off our 2023/24 ski season in New Mexico during Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Our latest start in history!
Our ski route would commence with the two southernmost US ski areas, Ski Cloudcroft and Ski Apache. But first, we had to travel to southern New Mexico from Monument Valley, Utah.
Day 1
We entered New Mexico near Gallup and slept in a junkyard for the first time in the town of Grant. Junkyard on 66 Brewery offers free overnight parking for truckers and RVers, and they have a basic menu of BBQ sandwiches, and of course, beer.
I rarely crave BBQ because the sauce is too sugary for me, but I loved their Pulled Pork Sandwich. The pork was perfectly tender and the sauce was not overly sweet so the smokiness of the meat could still shine through.
Tip: If you stay here, ask the bartender how to exit the gate in the morning.
Days 2-4
We stopped at the El Malpais National Monument Visitor Center for restrooms, only about 5 minutes from Junkyard on 66 Brewery. (Restrooms are unavailable at the brewery outside of their business hours.)
I spoke with a ranger and discovered that camping within El Malpais is open year-round and free. The ranger recommended the Joe Skeen Campground as it would likely have the least amount of snow and was closest to I-40. We didn’t camp there, but I’ve noted it for the next time we’re in that area.
We continued our journey toward Ski Apache and its closest major town, Ruidoso, almost four hours away.
We stopped in Los Lunas (just south of Albuquerque) to stock up on groceries and fuel, and to pick up a package at an Amazon locker. Once you leave the Albuquerque area heading south, it’s pretty desolate, so we needed to be prepared.
Plus, I really wanted to camp at Valley of Fires Recreation Area for at least one night and more if we liked it. The campground is 45 minutes north of Ruidoso’s conveniences and the closest town of Carrizozo doesn’t offer much.
Valley of Fires Recreation Area has one of the fanciest BLM campgrounds we’ve encountered. There are heated bathrooms and hot showers (included with your camping fee and only $6 for non-campers), sites with water and electric hookups, a dump station, and dumpsters. We’re used to BLM campgrounds that offer nothing more than a vault toilet.
Even with all of these amenities, the cost was only $7 per night for tent-only sites, $12 per night for an RV site without hookups, and $18 per night for an RV site with electric and water. Your camping fee includes access to an on-site dump station.
Plus, the campground is adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow that has a nature trail great for a run or walk. Aside from the tent-only sites that hug the lava flow, all sites have sweeping views of surrounding peaks.
We stayed three nights for the low rates and quiet atmosphere.
Tip: If you want a hookup site at Valley of Fires, consider making reservations. Those sites were the most popular, and while a couple were always available during our January stay, I can imagine they fill up often.
Day 5
We continued on to Ruidoso and checked into Midtown Mountain Campground & RV Park to catch up on laundry, top off our house batteries, and stock up on groceries in town.
I loved the character of this RV park with all of the murals and fun decorations in numerous areas throughout the park. It’s within walking distance of Midtown Ruidoso, a hub for dining, shopping, and entertainment.
I didn’t know what to expect from Ruidoso, but I definitely didn’t envision a touristy area with unique shops and eateries. It was a welcome surprise.
Tip: Midtown Mountain Campground participates in CampersCard which we subscribe to and that I unfortunately forgot about until after we left southern New Mexico. We would’ve received a 10% discount on our stay.
If you go, check to see if it’s worth it for you to subscribe to CampersCard’s annual membership currently offered for $39 per year.
Upon arriving in Ruidoso, we were hoping to ski at Ski Apache the next day, but the weather forecast warned of wind. Ski Apache only had about half of their terrain open which would be reduced further if their upper mountain lift and gondola went on wind hold.
So, we decided to leave Ruidoso and go for a little side trip until the weather improved. We completed a travel loop that included:
- A drive through the Mescalero Apache reservation
- Ski Cloudcroft
- Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
- White Sands National Park
Day 6
The drive through the Mescalero Apache reservation on NM-244 to Ski Cloudcroft wasn’t as scenic as I hoped, but I imagine feeling differently in a green season. Regardless, it was a special experience due to a connection I have with the tribe.
Tip: If you’re traveling between Ruidoso and Ski Cloudcroft, NM-244 offers the shortest route at about 90 minutes. However, I would not recommend it during adverse conditions due to a lack of cell service, services, and pullouts. I would take the two-hour route via US-70 W to Tularosa, US-54 S toward Alamogordo, then US-82 E to Cloudcroft.
Ski Cloudcroft was closed on the weekday of our drive and only had enough snow to operate their bunny slope and tubing hill on weekends. Unfortunately, their main lift was not scheduled to spin for access to their upper mountain terrain.
It looks like an excellent place for learning and improving your ski and ride skills. We’ll have to try again just so we can say we skied the southernmost ski area in the US.
Leaving Ski Cloudcroft, we headed toward Oliver Lee Memorial State Park (50 minutes away) via US-82, losing elevation as we approached Alamogordo. It was the most scenic part of our drive that day, so we took a moment to soak in the views of Fresnel Canyon and Tularosa Basin at the Tunnel Vista Observation Site.
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park offers the closest campground to White Sands National Park about 30 minutes away. The Sacramento Mountains rise behind it and the Tularosa Basin spreads out before it. Gorgeous!
We paid $10 for a non-electric site and hot showers were included with our camping fee. A free dump station is available for Oliver Lee paying campers only.
Tip: October through April is Oliver Lee’s busiest season. If you want an electric site, reserve ahead on Reserve America.
While electric sites were fully occupied during our January visit, there were several non-electric sites available. It was easy for us to arrive at the campground, look at the sites available on Reserve America, then drive around to find our favorite and book it.
If you’re looking for free camping, we saw dispersed sites to the south of Dog Canyon Road just before entering the state park. However, they don’t offer the same ambiance as Oliver Lee.
Day 7
We spent the afternoon inspecting every stop along the Dunes Drive in White Sands National Park.
I hate admitting that White Sands is probably our least favorite national park so far. It’s just that we’ve seen sand dunes before and they’re all fairly similar, so White Sands lacked the wow factor for us.
If you’ve never walked on a sand dune though, it will likely be a fun treat. Since the dunes at White Sands are white, the sand strongly resembles snow, and you can even sled the dunes in several places around the park.
Day 8
After our drive through White Sands, we returned to Oliver Lee for one more night and took advantage of the 2 pm checkout time by hiking the strenuous Dog Canyon Trail. It climbs 3,200 feet over 5.2 miles.
If you aren’t up for the entire length (we weren’t), you only have to hike a short distance for elevated views of Tularosa Basin and White Sands National Park in the distance.
The trail starts behind the Visitor Center, adjacent to the campground, so driving to the trailhead is unnecessary. There’s also a nature trail if you’re looking for an easier stroll.
We ended our side trip in time to spend MLK weekend in Ruidoso.
We returned via US-70 through the village of Mescalero, so we could see more of the Mescalero Apache reservation.
We didn’t get a chance but if you have time, stop at the Mescalero Apache Cultural Center & Museum. It looks like it is typically closed on weekends.
Days 9-10
We spent Sunday and Monday of MLK weekend at Ski Apache.
It was a great way to avoid crowds found at other ski areas on a holiday weekend. The terrain was more exciting than anticipated, and we can’t wait to go back when all runs are open, and we can time a repeat visit for a powder day.
Day 11
Wrapping up our southern New Mexico tour, our goal was to continue on to the northern part of the state to catch up with friends in Santa Fe and ski Red River for the first time. But I didn’t want to leave the south without seeing the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, another BLM site.
Unfortunately, when researching the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, I failed to notice that camping is available onsite. Instead, I landed on a campground 9 miles past the petroglyph site on a well-maintained dirt road – Three Rivers Campground.
That’s okay because it was only $6 per night, and we didn’t have neighbors other than the camp host.
Three Rivers Campground sits at the base of Sierra Blanca Peak, southern New Mexico’s tallest at 11,981 feet. Ski Apache sits on the high slopes of Sierra Blanca, so it was cool to experience two perspectives of the mountain.
A short walk from our campsite, we tried to hike into the White Mountain Wilderness via the Three Rivers Trailhead. But the trail was snowy, icy, muddy, littered with deer droppings, and hard to follow.
We didn’t make it far and there wasn’t much to see in such a short distance other than the creek due to heavy tree cover. It’s a trail for us to attempt in another season.
Day 12
We began our afternoon at the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, and I wish I would’ve prepared for more exploration time!
From online research, I knew that there were two short trails. A half-mile trail takes you on a tour of Mogollon village remains and a one-mile trail guides you to the most interesting petroglyph groupings. I didn’t think we would be there especially long.
However, since more than 21,000 glyphs exist in the area, several unofficial paths lead you to many more beyond the official hike. We spent a few hours meandering farther and farther from the trailhead.
My stomach was grumbling and I was disappointed that I didn’t pack snacks, only water. I would’ve suggested we keep going if my blood sugar didn’t feel like it was dropping.
After returning to the parking lot, I prepared a very late lunch, and we decided to camp at the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site for the night.
The nightly rate for a site with a picnic table and shade shelter was only $7 which includes access to a bathroom with flush toilets. (It’s $18 for an RV site with hookups.) Just like Three Rivers Campground, we were the only campers aside from the camp host.
By the way, if you’re not camping at Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, there is a day use fee of $5 unless you have an America the Beautiful Pass.
We purchase this pass every year as we typically end up at national parks and monuments like White Sands and other eligible sites during our ski travels.
Recap
We loved our introduction to southern New Mexico, and we’ll plan another time to return.
We’re used to gloomy weather throughout most of winter, so I appreciated exposure to sun and blue skies while located closer to the equator.
Next time we go, I would:
- Wait to visit until Ski Apache and Ski Cloudcroft are 100% open
- Visit the Mescalero Apache Cultural Center & Museum
- Hike the entire Dog Canyon Trail at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
- Hunt for tasty New Mexican food
While our travels through southern New Mexico took us almost two weeks to complete, I think one could easily pare it down to a week-long trip if you started in Albuquerque, New Mexico or El Paso, Texas.
