I know … summer in El Paso lasts about 10.5 – 11 months. Officially though, summer is June 21st – September 22nd. That’s 3 months which, (at 4 weekends per month), is 12 weekends.

In part 1 of the “12 weekends of summer” … forget the 12 Days Of Christmas, the holidays will be here soon enough … we looked at fun daytrips east of El Paso and part 2 took us west of El Paso. Now, for the grand finale, we’ll go north.

You can only go 3 ways from El Paso, (east, west and north) without leaving the USA since going due south takes you to Mexico. Not that there aren’t fun things to do south of the border but we’re sticking to nearby, domestic destinations.

For fun daytrip/weekend getaway spots, north offers a bunch. The only 2 ways I know of to get there are US 54 North from El Paso or Highway 70 East from Las Cruces.

70 takes you to White Sands National Park or, if you continue on, Alamogordo.

READ MORE: 12 Weekends Of Summer Getaways Pt. 1 (EAST)

Orogrande

54 takes you to Alamogordo but you go through Orogrande first. It’s about 50 miles or so from El Paso and, (if it’s open, which is a BIG if), there’s a cool little bar there that’s been around forever. It wouldn’t surprise me if Billy The Kid drank there. That’s it for Orogrande though. Keep going, Alamogordo is next.

READ MORE: 12 Weekends Of Summer Getaways Pt. 2  (WEST)

Alamogordo

Now, you have stuff to do. Visit White Sands National Park or, (if it’s one of the 2 weekends a year that it’s open to the public), you can go to the Trinity Site where the first atomic bomb was detonated. It’s an interesting, (yet creepy), place; just don’t do this.

Cloudcroft

You can get to Cloudcroft and Ruidoso from Alamogordo. I strongly suggest you go to Ruidoso first, about 50 miles vis Highway 70), then take the backway, (aka NM 244), to Cloudcroft to return to Alamo. If you’re only interested in Cloudcroft, take US 82 east straight in – it’s about 20 miles.

There you can visit the historic Lodge which has a famous ghost, (Rebecca), and a bar that was once owned by Al Capone. You can also pick fruit, grab a bite, maybe hike or take a horse ride.

Ruidoso

Ruidoso is a little bigger and lot busier. Depending on the time of year, you may be able to catch a big motorcycle rally. There is also plenty of camping, fishing, hiking, etc to do. The Inn Of The Mountain Gods is an amazing hotel with a casino. There was once horse racing but Ruidoso Downs racetrack has closed.

Getaways For The 12 Weekends Of Summer Near El Paso

Getaways For The 12 Weekends Of Summer Near El Paso

Gallery Credit: Dubba G

Lincoln

Gift shops abound, you can visit Fox Canyon and several local wineries and craft beer breweries. Lincoln is also nearby. That’s where Billy The Kid, (after being sentenced to hang in Mesilla), escaped; killing 2 guards in the process. If you saw the movie Young Guns, or know the story of Bill The Kid, many of the places depicted are in or near Lincoln.

Roswell

Roswell is only another 75 miles along highway 70. That’s where the famous UFO crash, (and ship/alien body recovery), happened in 1947. (El Paso had a similar incident that same year.)

There are many places to fish, hunt, swim, camp, etc around Roswell. Besides a UFO shaped McDonalds, a world renowned UFO museum and UFO – themed “everything’s”; there’s not much to do there. It’s still cool though. July 4th is a good weekend to go.

Also Near Ruidoso

Other cool spots that are close together in that section of New Mexico include Eagle Pass, Capitan, Raton and White Oaks. Happy wandering.

See One Of The World’s Holiest Places – Sanutario De Chimayo In New Mexico

Gallery Credit: Dubba G

Getaways For The 12 Weekends Of Summer Near El Paso

Getaways For The 12 Weekends Of Summer Near El Paso

Gallery Credit: Dubba G