When Is the Best Time to See Fall Colors on the Sunspot Scenic Byway?

When the seasons are changing and the weather gets colder, Fall has arrived. The most telling sign that it’s Fall? The bright green trees turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. There are a ton of excellent trails for hiking in Ruidoso. If you’re looking for some of the best hikes in Ruidoso, then you have to check out the Sunspot Scenic Byway!

While there are more hiking trails than this one, the Sunspot Scenic Byway is the perfect trail for seeing the beautiful Fall leaves and it’s just a short drive from our Ruidoso cabin rentals.

Drive the Sunspot Scenic Byway

If you’re looking to experience a fall drive, then hit the Sunspot Scenic Byway! This 34.5-mile road is perfect for scenic driving for views of the beautiful New Mexico landscape. For driving, the road itself is a 16-mile paved route. The road connects Cloudcroft with Sunspot. You’ll wind through Lincoln National Forest, along the rim of the Sacramento Mountains. The drive overlooks south-central New Mexico. From there, you can spot the White Sands National Monument and the Tularosa Basin.

Stop for Hikes at Multiple Trailheads

Do you want to hike the trails instead? Considered as one of the best hiking trails in Ruidoso, Sunspot Scenic Byway has plenty of trailheads for you to start hiking on. Located near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the trails here are rated as difficult. They wind through forests of pine and aspen, climbing up to an elevation of 8,600 feet!  If you have a dog, you can bring them on the hiking trails! They must be kept on a leash at all times. The trails are primarily for scenic driving and road biking. These hiking trails are a perfect way to see all the beautiful Fall leaves.

Hiking these trails gives you a beautiful overhead view of the Tularosa Basin and the Apache Point Observatory. The parks allow you to wander around the grounds to explore and learn about the New Mexico wildlife fully. The high elevation tops out at 8,600 feet! So, you can see all the beautiful fall colors from your hike. You’ll find the start of the trail near the parking lot. Pick up a trail map to help you get around and find your way through these beautiful hiking trails.

The Scenic Byway leads right to the Sunspot Solar Observatory. You can wander through the high-altitude forest of pine and aspen trees, taking twists and turns to get to the observatory.

Photo from Pexels

End at Sunspot Solar Observatory

This Solar Observatory is the perfect place to end your hiking adventure and fully take in the changing leaf colors. At the very end of the trail is a group of buildings that create the research grounds of this solar observatory. It may be a shock to some hikers, but to others, this is exactly what they were looking for!

This solar observatory was built after World War II to help better understand the sun’s flares and how they interfered with the radios. Visitors to the observatory can take a half-mile self-guided tour of the grounds. You can take a brochure to learn about all the key spots along the way. Sunspot Solar Observatory is rich with scientific history! You’ll learn all about the campus, astronomy, and the telescopes that were left there. You can explore the visitors center to learn more about the area and the research done there.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory offers low dust and low humidity, making it perfect for a day hike. If you’re looking to observe the stars, the Ruidoso weather provides very dark skies and clear skies to lay back and watch the stars.

Return to Your Ruidoso Cabin Rental

After a long day of hiking the trails in the beautiful Ruidoso weather, you need a peaceful place to rest your legs. Rent a beautiful Ruidoso cabin on the river! Come back and enjoy a rental where you’ll get all the comforts of home. Your cabin rental is the perfect place to rest and recharge before heading out and doing it all over again tomorrow.

Are you ready to book your next Ruidoso vacation? Contact us today for your exclusive Ruidoso cabin rental with a hot tub!