The most frequent complaint of visitors and newcomers to the Desert Southwest is the lack of foliage. At times the brown terrain can be almost overwhelming. You know you've become used to living here when you're willing to argue that El Paso's mountains are, in fact, green during the late summer "rainy season".

What does a tree-hugger do when staring at the desert starts to cause uncontrollable shakes? He heads for the mountains of southern New Mexico. Just a two to three hour drive north of El Paso you can find an entirely different world in the village of Ruidoso, New Mexico. The first part of the drive will convince you we're lying; "no way", you'll say, " I'll never escape the brown." Then, just after leaving Tularosa, New Mexico, you'll begin climbing from the desert elevation of about 4,000 feet above sea level toward Ruidoso's elevation of over 7,000 feet. Along the way you'll notice a gradual shift in vegetation, ending in beautiful pine and aspen forests common in the Rocky Mountains.

Ruidoso is a town with just a few thousand permanent residents. Sudderth Drive, the main street, is lined with enough shops, galleries and restaurants to keep lots of visitors busy. Santa Fe is definitely the best known New Mexico resort town, but Ruidoso can easily claim to be second best - and it's less crowded, less expensive, and definitely less pretentious.

Two good lodging options are the Best Western Swiss Chalet on Highway 48, just north of Ruidoso (call 505-258-3333, and the Inn of the Mountain Gods on Carrizo Canyon Road (call 505-257-5141) The Inn of the Mountain Gods is run by the Mescalero Apache tribe and also offers casino gambling.

Dining options used to be extremely limited , but a few restaurants offer excellent food which would be hits in much larger towns. The hottest new restaurant in town is Che Bella. Featuring authentic Northern Italian cooking and excellent service, this is truly a great dining experience. Che Bella is located at 2823 Sudderth Dr.

Outdoor activities are probably the best reason to visit Ruidoso. The town is located in the shadow of Sierra Blanca - a 12,000 foot peak that is home to the Ski Apache ski area with is open from Thanksgiving to Easter each year. Ruidoso is full of ski rental shops if you didn't bring your own. The ski area is located about a half an hour drive out of Ruidoso. Four wheel drive vehicles or tire chains are frequently needed to get up the mountain on snowy days. Chains can be rented at various locations around town.

Most of the area around Ruidoso is part of the Lincoln National Forest. Great hiking, mountain biking and fishing are also abundant with information available at the Smoky Bear Ranger Station at 800 Mechum Drive, call 505-257-4095. Some of the best hiking and views of the area can be found in the area around Mon Jeau lookout, a 9,000+ foot mountain that can be reached just off the road to the ski area. Much of the forest has been designated wilderness area, where mountain biking is off-limits. Some good, legal riding can be found along Cedar Creek Road near the ranger station.

The desert is great, but if you desperately need a fix of big trees and cold tap water, Ruidoso will fit the bill. For more information, call the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce at 505-257-7395.

New Mexico's Billy the Kid Route received a Scenic Historic Byway designation from the Federal Highway Commission in June of 1995. The Lincoln County area is rich in history. It has been home to Billy the Kid, the Lincoln County War, the Mescalero Apache tribe, Kit Carson, "Black Jack" Pershing, the Buffalo Soldiers, the world's richest Quarter Horse race and Smokey Bear. You're about to take an online "tour" of the communities along the Byway.