The 550-mile drive to Ruidoso may have been a good excuse not to visit the quaint south-central New Mexico mountain town in years past, but that's likely to become moot by next summer.

American Airlines is anticipating the start of daily seasonal service between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, 18 miles northeast of the village, come June. Flights should be on American Eagle jets from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend and during ski season from mid-December through March, if all goes as planned, said Doug MacAlister, a Ruidoso developer. He has spearheaded the effort for air service through a Ruidoso committee of businesspeople called Fly Ruidoso.

So far, so good. In late August, the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to provide a $600,000 grant to help get the deal off the ground.

With the availability of flights on a major airline, “the town will open up to people from all over, but even more from Texas – the high rollers who may not want to drive,” said Richard Abel, a Realtor who recently opened an office in Ruidoso for the Vaughan Co.

For decades, Texans have flocked to the village for its climate, mountain views, skiing, golf, and hotel and food prices, which are less than those of Colorado ski resort towns such as Vail and Aspen.

John Chappell and his wife, Carol, live in Abilene but have a second home in Ruidoso. They make the drive frequently, sometimes on back-to-back weekends. “You can literally play golf (in Ruidoso) year-round,” said John Chappell, owner of West Texas Discount Golf in Abilene. He said the drive always has been worth it “just to come up and cool off for 48 hours” during the summer.

Average summertime temperatures range from lows in the 40s to highs in the low 80s, even in August, and you can count on brief afternoon showers to dampen shoppers along Sudderth, the main drag in midtown Ruidoso.

This is where city dwellers can quickly become accustomed to a slower pace, feel the breeze and smell the pines. Walking is permitted, but strolling with frequent stops is preferred.

Traditionally marketed as Billy the Kid country, the town of 12,000 year-round residents still offers lots of cowboy kitsch, carved wooden bears, T-shirt and knick-knack stores, as well as patio cafes. American flags hanging outside storefronts, and potted plants, wrought-iron benches and signs for homemade fudge make sidewalk sightseeing a relaxing way to pass part of a day.

At one end of Sudderth is an old mill. According to legend, Billy the Kid hid out there. It's called Dowlin's Historic Old Mill, and it still features a working flour mill run by a water wheel.

The Flying J Ranch perpetuates that Old West charm into the evening hours with live music, western shows and a down-home chuckwagon dinner.

If your tastes run more classic than campfire, check out the 514-seat Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, 13 miles north of Ruidoso in the community of Alto.

Known as the “Carnegie of the Southwest,” the theater features great performances such as “Cats” (Jan. 3) and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (March 11). However, even here the Flying J Wranglers put on a Christmas show (Dec. 6).

Musical entertainment from Van Cliburn medalists and folk, jazz and country singers is scheduled throughout the year. There's also a wide range of dance programming.

Performances aside, the limestone and glass theater itself is worth a visit. Sitting on 74 acres, the $25.5 million work of art was designed by famed architect Antoine Predock. It rises on a diagonal plane, starting with the two-story Crystal Lobby that's constructed of 300 hand-cut glass facets held together by a steel frame.

From there, a mica-flecked limestone facade graduates to a height of eight stories on one end, the structure virtually blinding against the blue sky and mountain backdrop. A gentle waterfall cascades down two stories of the building's front.

Though it stands solitary now, a residential golfing community soon will be within walking distance. Roads already are being cut, and golf holes built.

One of the most talked about existing golf courses is at the $200 million rebuilt Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino on Mescalero Apache Indian land, just a few miles out from Ruidoso. The 18-hole championship course has won numerous awards from Golf Digest and offers spectacular views of surrounding Sacramento Mountains, including the 12,000-foot Sierra Blanca Peak, which towers over the resort.

Those who have visited the inn will recall a 28-year-old grouping of worn, cedar-shingled buildings next to a small lake. Those now stand meekly in the shadow of the new spaceship-like structure that already has been given a four-diamond rating from AAA, said Brian Parrish, chief operating officer.

Still, Mescalero Apache-made bronzes and paintings, as well as other items of cultural significance, decorate the resort inside and out, reminding tourists of the cultural traditions here.

In recent times, gambling has become part of the landscape, and the redone casino offers 1,000 slots and 34 table games.

If that's not enough, Ruidoso Downs Casino & Racetrack adds horses to the mix in the city of Ruidoso Downs, a hair's width from the village limits. The 273-room Inn of the Mountain Gods' other amenities and entertainment include an indoor pool, nightclub and piano bar, as well as horse stables offering rides.

But if you're looking to surround yourself more with animals and plants than people and noise, Ruidoso has plenty of outdoor adventure.

The Lincoln National Forest, known as the birthplace of Smokey the Bear, and two wilderness areas provide opportunities for fishing, bird watching, hiking, camping and mountain biking. There's even a nationally recognized Top 10 trail near Cloudcroft, just outside Ruidoso.

For the ski enthusiast, Ski Apache has 55 trails served by 11 lifts for both skiers and snowboarders. Here, too, is New Mexico's only gondola, which provides scenic round-trip rides for those who simply want to take in the views (call 505-336-4356 for more information).

Though Ruidoso sits at about 7,000 feet, ski slopes take visitors to between 9,500 and 11,500 feet, elevations that can be counted on almost annually to have abundant snowfall. Average winter temperatures range from lows in the teens to highs near 50 degrees.

And don't forget – there's still time to plan a skiing vacation.

—-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Air service from DFW: www.flyruidoso.com; Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce: (800) 253-2255; www.ruidoso.net

Ski Apache: Typically open Thanksgiving through Easter; www.skiapache.com; (505) 257-9001

Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino: (800) 545-9011; www.innofthemountaingods.com

Ruidoso Downs Casino & Race Track: Offers live horse racing mid-May through Labor Day. (505) 378-4431.

Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts: (888) 818-7872; www.spencertheater.com

Lincoln National Forest: For outdoor recreational information (505) 434-7200; www.fs.fed.us/r3/lincoln/