Purchase this magnificent mountain ranch property steeped in Southern New Mexico history and charm

More than a century ago, brothers Charles Bishop Eddy and John Arthur Eddy—organizers of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad— arrived in the brand new town of Alamogordo, hoping to continue the rail line. Because they needed railroad ties and timber, the brothers sent a survey crew into the nearby Sacramento Mountains to assess the possibility of laying a line that reached the summit. In the fall of 1898, the crew reported that not only could a line be built, but the area's majestic beauty would draw visitors from far and wide. The crew suggested the name Cloudcroft,“a pasture for the clouds.”

By the end of 1898, the railroad line reached Toboggan Canyon. The following summer, John Arthur Eddy officially opened the Pavilion at the summit that provided accommodations for visitors including a kitchen, dining room, parlor, entertainment hall and 40 tents set on wooden platforms. Guests attended the festivities by taking the train to Toboggan Canyon and then a stagecoach up to Cloudcroft. The new resort received rave reviews in El Paso and other area newspapers, and crowds began to visit the area. Fire twice destroyed the Pavilion but it was rebuilt each time in its original style.

The railroad line reached Cloudcroft in early 1900 and after the depot was built, “meeting the train” became a daily festivity in the village. Three trains pulled in to Cloudcroft daily to carry passengers and mail and haul logs down the mountain. Eventually, cars and trucks began to replace the trains, resulting in the railroad's loss of money and eventual showdown. The last passenger train pulled in to the station in 1938 and the final freight train descended the hill in 1947.

Cloudcroft has changed little across the decades, retaining its famous friendly, small-town atmosphere. Visitors travel here from around the country as well as the world to enjoy the laid-back atmosphere, pristine wilderness and all the amenities of modern life. Taken from https://coolcloudcroft.com/cool-highlights/cloudcroft-history/

The 12,000 foot Sierra Blanca Peak has attracted humans for thousands of years. Archeologists date pit houses and petroglyphs in the area between 900 and 1400 AD. The Mescalero Apaches consider the mountain, whose name in Apache means “the mountain with snow on top,” to be the home of their protectors, the mountain gods. Early visitors made the long trip from Roswell, El Paso and other communities by horse and wagon to the area near the Rio Ruidoso (“noisy river”) that flows down from the mountain. The village that slowly developed shortened the name to Ruidoso.

Ruidoso has always been a place to escape from the desert heat and to have a good time. Horse racing began in a meadow in what is now Ruidoso Downs. The early races were informal, but by 1947 a race track called Hollywood Park was opened. (The town was named Hollywood from 1926 until 1947, when its name was changed to Green Tree.) The All American Futurity, the world’s richest quarter horse race, was first run on Labor Day 1959. Along with the Rainbow Futurity and the Ruidoso Futurity, it makes up the Quarter Horse Triple Crown.

Just as summer has always meant horse racing, winter has always meant skiing. The area’s first ski area began in 1938 in a sloping meadow at the end of Cedar Creek Road. Skiers could either hike up the short slope or buy a lift ticket for a gasoline-powered rope tow. Local ski enthusiasts maintained the area and organized an effort to get permission from the U.S. Forest Service to construct a ski area on Sierra Blanca.

Permission was granted in 1961, although its opening was delayed by unusually heavy snowfall, and by December the new ski area set a state record for the number of visitors. 

Ruidoso has also been synonymous with the casino at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.  The Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino, located on the Mescalero Apache reservation in beautiful Ruidoso,  blends the charm and comforts of an upscale golf and spa resort with the thrill of a top casino in New Mexico.

From the expansive wildlife and scenery of the Mescalero Apache reservation, guests enjoy and indulge in many on-site amenities and services during their visit, including a Top 50 rated golf course, award-winning dining, luxury spa services, and exciting casino gaming in the casino. Additional  amenities include outdoor activities from zip-line rides, boating, biking and horseback riding to concerts headlined by national and regional acts as well as weekly stand-up comedy featuring national acts.