Just a little over an hour away from Las Cruces is the mountain village of Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Nestled in the Sacramento Mountains, it is the perfect day trip if you are looking for mountain retreat.
On this particular Friday, I decided to surprise my family with a trip for barbeque and Bigfoot. What a crazy combination, right!?
One the Road
The drive was very scenic, as the journey took us past the White Sands National Park with sparkling white gypsum sand dunes for miles.
Shortly after, we took a short drive through the city of Alamogordo, home of the New Mexico Museum of Space History, before venturing up the mountain.
Almost immediately we noticed a significant difference in the scenery. The road wound upward with pine trees becoming denser as we entered the Lincoln National Forest. We quickly noted the drop in temperature as Cloudcroft is situated at an elevation of 8,600 feet. Our ears even popped a couple times on the way up!
Mouthwatering BBQ is Worth the Wait
Even though our mission was to have lunch at Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbeque, we left in time to arrive by 10:30 a.m. as there is always a line to get in. Hours of operation are Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but once they sell out the working day is over, and the doors close once everyone is finished eating. Even so, people travel from all over the region for a chance to get a taste of their mouthwatering slow cooked barbeque.
When it was our turn to order, our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs. Between the four of us, we ordered brisket, “Dino” beef ribs, chopped briskets sandwiches, mac and cheese, coleslaw, bread and homemade peach and blackberry cobbler. We ate to our hearts content and still had plenty to take home.
The Quest for Bigfoot
With stomachs full, we began our quest to find Bigfoot. Lucky for us, our destination was just across the street at the Bigfoot Encounter, a venue solely dedicated to the mysterious and mythical creature. As we walked up to the building, we were greeted by an array of carved wooden replicas of the legendary Bigfoot. This spot alone is a great photo opportunity! Excited we walked in the front door and was welcomed by a friendly host. For a small fee, we gained access to the “encounter.” The first exhibit showcased the history of Bigfoot in New Mexico, videos and evidence of the creature, and other cool information. Beyond this room, we ventured down a hallway that led us to an exhibit of Bigfoot living in the wild replicas, a Yeti cave and to our surprise a spinning vortex! Upon entering the vortex, we immediately felt like we were on unsteady ground even though the pathway was straight and even. It was so much fun my daughter and her best friend went through it a second time. Thank goodness there was a rail to hold onto!
Just past the vortex was the final exhibit that boasted a life size Bigfoot replica once housed in MGM Studios. As we walked by, the creature turned its head and with its dark menacing eyes watched us exit back into the real world. The visit ended with a gift shop full of fun items to take home as a reminder of the fun encounter.
That View!
Happy and content, we headed back down the mountain and home to Las Cruces. Along the way, the view of White Sands National Park was an added bonus. From this height, we could see the true vastness of the sparkling dunes. Before we knew it, we were back home and ready for a nap after our day of adventure!