2 Best Sights in Ruidoso, Southeastern New Mexico

The bordering Ruidoso to the west, is inhabited by more than 3,000 Mescalero Apache, most of whom work for the tribal government or for the tribally owned Inn of the Mountain Gods, one of the state's most elegant resorts and a major destination for visitors from all over the country and Mexico. Also on the reservation are a general store, a trading post, and a museum where a 12-minute video about life on the reservation is screened. Regular talks are also given on the history and culture of the Mescalero Apache. There are campsites here (with hook-ups at Silver and Eagle lakes only) and picnic areas. The July 4th weekend dances, which include a rodeo, powwow, and demonstration dances of young women going through puberty rites, are open to the public.

The self-proclaimed home of the world's richest quarter-horse race, has a fabulous mountain vista as the setting for cheering the ponies. On Labor Day the track is the site of the All-American Quarter Horse Futurity, with a total purse of as much as $3 million. Revenues from the Billy the Kid Casino, which has some 300 slot machines, funds the races. Casino gambling allowed at horse-racing tracks is credited with reviving the sport in New Mexico by attracting quality horses and competition. The casino is decorated with murals suggesting nearby historic Lincoln, where Billy the Kid once hung out. The facility offers year-round, full-card simulcasting from the nation's largest tracks.