Cloudcroft, New Mexico

Event date: Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019

We got a slow start this morning. We had a good breakfast at the hotel, then set off for our daily adventure. Our destination for the day was Cloudcroft, about 40 or so miles south of Ruidoso.

We set off west along US 70 for several miles before turning south on New Mexico 244. The entire drive along NM 244 was great. It is a very rural area with great scenery. There are numerous mountain meadows, and the pine covered hills are lovely. The speed limit ranged from 35 to 55 mph, occasionally dipping to 25. There was very little traffic, so it was a very pleasant drive.

Much of the drive from Ruidoso to Cloudcroft was through heavily forested country such as this.

I love a lush mountain meadow such as this.

On the return trip along US 70, we watched the hulking presence of Sierra Blanca approach.

Fewer than 1,000 people live in Cloudcroft, which sits at an elevation of 8,600 feet. Summers there are pleasant, and it is a popular getaway for West Texans who are trying to escape the heat. But there isn't much here. If you like small towns, though, it's a nice place. The downtown district sits 1 block north of the highway, and it is lined with businesses that, for the most part, cater to tourists. We stopped in for a cup of coffee at the Black Bear Coffee Shop. A delightful young couple run this place. While visiting, we discovered that they had connections to San Angelo; both had attended classes at Angelo State University previously. They make a great cup of coffee there, but it is a bit steep. I suppose in such an isolated location, prices tend to be a bit higher.

Black Bear Coffee Shop at the west end of the business district in Cloudcroft.

Looking east through the Cloudcroft business district from in front of the Black Bear.

Some of the businesses in downtown Cloudcroft.

The Cloudcroft Hotel is in the center of the business district.

Looking west from the east end of the business district.

We scouted around town looking at cottages and such where we might spend a week or so next summer, but we decided Ruidoso was probably more to our taste.