Cloudcroft, NM

A Central-Texas-style barbecue joint on the highway where the brisket and pork are smoked low and slow and the kitchen closes when the meat runs out. It is the most talked-about food in Cloudcroft and routinely lands on statewide best-barbecue lists. Come hungry and come early.

A family-run brewery on Burro Avenue turning out wood-fired pizzas alongside beers brewed on site at nearly 9,000 feet. The chorizo and green-chile pie is the local order, and there is live music and a dog-friendly patio on weekends. It is the town's default casual hangout.

A homey all-day diner on James Canyon Highway where the morning regulars gather and the menu runs from breakfast burritos to green-chile chicken enchiladas. Staff tend to know the locals by name, and it is the reliable sit-down option when other places are closed midweek. Hearty, unfussy mountain comfort food.

A burger-and-beer spot on Burro Street that has been feeding Cloudcroft since 1984, known for green-chile cheeseburgers and a tap list that punches above a town this size. It is casual, sometimes slow, and beloved anyway. Good for a relaxed lunch after a hike.

A small, owner-run coffee shop on Burro Avenue pulling espresso drinks and selling beans by the bag, with a cozy room and plenty of milk alternatives. It is the morning fuel stop before a trail or the byway drive. Friendly, low-key, and consistently the local coffee pick.

A casual New Mexican spot known locally as Fernando's, turning out oversized burritos on fresh tortillas with outdoor seating and yard games. Portions are generous enough to split, and breakfast burritos are a highlight. It is the go-to for cheap, filling Mexican food in town.

The pie counter inside the Burro Street Exchange, turning out fruit pies, pastries, and specialty breads that draw people up the mountain from Alamogordo. The cherry and fruit-of-the-forest pies are the ones regulars rave about. Grab a slice and a coffee mid-wander.

A from-scratch bakery on Burro Avenue making cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, and decorated cookies, plus custom cakes. Regulars single out the cinnamon rolls and croissants, and the owners run it with a warm hand. A sweet stop a few doors from the Exchange.

The town's signature hike, a roughly one-mile path from the Trestle Recreation Area following the old railroad grade down to the restored Mexican Canyon trestle. The first stretch is paved and easy before it turns to dirt, with views toward White Sands opening up along the way. Short, scenic, and doable for most.

A roughly 2.5-mile forested loop just north of town through pine and aspen, with openings that look out over the Tularosa Basin and White Sands far below. It has a steady but manageable grade and is the most popular moderate hike right in Cloudcroft. A good first real hike at altitude.

A trail in the canyon below Cloudcroft near High Rolls leading to a tall seasonal waterfall, with the longer Grand View option adding ridge views. The falls run best in spring and after rain. It is a different ecosystem from the high pines up top, drier and more open.

The long ridgeline trail running south from the edge of the village along the rim of the Sacramento Mountains, with repeated views down into the Tularosa Basin. You can do a short out-and-back or commit to many miles toward Sunspot. The flexible distance makes it suit any energy level.

Less a trail than a 15-mile drive-and-stop route from town toward Sunspot, threaded with pullouts and short overlook walks above the Tularosa Basin and White Sands. Several stops have brief paths to viewpoints. It is the easy-access option for big views without a long hike.

A short, fully accessible interpretive loop near town built for an easy stroll through the forest, with benches and signs identifying trees and plants. It is the gentlest walk in the area and works for families, older visitors, and acclimating to the altitude. Quiet and shaded.

The small family ski hill just east of town, the southernmost ski area in the US, with beginner-friendly runs in winter and snow tubing when conditions allow. It is low-key and affordable rather than a big resort, aimed at learners and kids. In summer the area shifts to other mountain activities.

A local history museum and outdoor pioneer village on US-82, with a chapel, blacksmith shop, depot, and a century-old cottage you walk between under aspen trees. Volunteers fill in the area's logging and railroad past. A relaxed indoor-outdoor stop that gives the town context.

The nine-hole mountain course at The Lodge, one of the oldest in the Southwest, laid out among the pines at altitude where resident elk graze the fairways. Thin air sends the ball farther, and the setting matters more than the scorecard. A novelty round in a striking spot.

A free disc golf course winding through the forest with real elevation change and well-marked holes, a favorite low-cost way to spend an afternoon in the trees. It mixes long and short holes and suits both casual and serious players. Bring your own discs.

A seasonal outdoor ice rink on James Canyon Highway, long run as the southernmost all-natural outdoor rink in the country and a winter draw that fits the town's mountain-village feel. After decades on natural ice under one longtime operator, it is moving to a refrigerated setup under new management for longer, more dependable seasons. A simple, family-friendly way to spend a cold afternoon.

A roadside overlook on US-82 framing the 1899 timber railroad trestle that curves across Mexican Canyon below. The restored 60-foot bridge is the town's signature image, and the pullout has interpretive signs explaining the old logging line that hauled timber and tourists up the mountain. Quick stop, big payoff.

The old-west boardwalk shopping block on Burro Avenue, a cluster of small retail stalls, a bakery, and eateries inside a restored historic building. It anchors the walkable downtown and is where most visitors end up browsing between meals. Good for a slow wander rather than a destination in itself.

A shaded day-use picnic area at the west edge of town that doubles as the trailhead for the Cloud-Climbing Trestle Trail down to the Mexican Canyon trestle. There is a replica railway depot, restrooms, and interpretive panels on the old railroad. It is the easiest jumping-off point for the town's best-known short hike.

The 1899 mountain lodge with a copper-domed tower that has hosted guests since the railroad era and is the town's most recognizable building. Even non-guests come to see the Arts-and-Crafts lobby, the bar, and the elk that wander the surrounding golf course. It sits just uphill from downtown.