An Introduction
Alamogordo was founded in 1899 as a railroad town. Located at the base of the beautiful Sacramento Mountains, we are the county seat of Otero County. Alamogordo’s population is approximately 35,000 and the county population of about 55,000.
We have a diverse area with Alamogordo having a desert climate with warm days and cooler evenings, but just a few miles up the “hill” to Cloudcroft finds cooler weather and winter snows. Our skies are almost always blue and clear and the evenings are made for star watching. We get an average rainfall of about 11 inches a year. The elevation of Alamogordo is approximately 4,350 feet.
Holloman Air Force Base is the major employer for Alamogordo with military, civil service and contract personnel. Besides the normal military operations, Holloman hosts a high speed test track and recently a German training wing has located here for pilot training. It is about a 20 minute drive from most locations in town to the base. Many military members find our community very comfortable and choose to remain in our area after retirement.
New Mexico State University has a branch campus located here in Alamogordo. They offer day time and evening classes in a variety of subjects. There is also a nursing program available through NMSU-A.
Our area, even though mainly desert has many faces. You are able to find fresh grown apples and cherries in orchards, as well as producing fruit trees through out town. Pistachios and pecans are commercially grown in our area, and just 12 miles away in Tularosa, you will find a vineyard and winery. Vegetable gardens are also popular and seem do fine here.
Like all of New Mexico we have a sales tax on all products and services. At the present time in the city the sales tax rate is 7.25%. There is also a state income tax for New Mexico residents, but the local property taxes are very reasonable compared to many other states.
I believe that you will find Alamogordo a town of very friendly people who appreciate our great weather, beautiful scenery and an appealing quality of life.
White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument rises from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders – the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world’s largest gypsum dune field. Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dune field, along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this constantly changing environment. You are welcome to walk anywhere within the park as long as you use an established pullout or parking area. It is recommended, though, that you start with the 6.2 miles (10 km) of marked trails. Before hiking anywhere, orient yourself to natural and human-made landmarks, such as the different mountain ranges and water towers.
New Mexico Museum of Space History
A visit to the New Mexico Museum of Space History is a trip into the origins of our nation’s space exploration program. The facility has grown to become one of the Southwest’s most popular attractions. Enjoyed by tourists and locals alike, the facility features an IMAX Theater and Planetarium—the only one in New Mexico.
Desert Lakes Golf Course
Desert Lakes Golf Course Desert is a quality public facility that is located at the base of the Sacramento Mountain range in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The course features four sets of tees to cater to all levels of play. Alamogordo delights in year-round golf, with summer temperatures in the 90’s and a mild fall and winter. The course is an ideal host for all golfing events, specializing in tournaments and outings, and features a full service golf shop with expert club repair, club fitting as well as a comprehensive instruction program.
Cloudcroft New Mexico
Beautiful scenery and spectacular unspoiled vistas are encountered at every turn of the highway. In particular, the view from the overlook near New Mexico’s only tunnel and the graceful old wooden Mexican Canyon trestle that nestles in a canyon just outside of the village should not be missed. This much photographed remnant of the old logging and excursion railroad has come to be a kind of unofficial symbol of Cloudcroft.
High mountain meadows and cool air are a welcome relief from the surrounding desert on either approach. Warm summer days are sprinkled with mountain showers that come and go quickly but which leave behind a variety of wildflowers that blanket the meadow and line the roads. Summer temperatures reach the upper 70’s but the nighttime lows remain in the cool 40’s and 50’s. Cloudcroft is a quiet, relaxing and scenic village with year round activities.