Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs

The Sacramento Mountains are an oasis of cool pine forests, alpine meadows, and fast-flowing streams. For more than a century, the area has been a summer haven for people living in the surrounding desert. The town of Ruidoso�a Spanish word meaning �noisy��is named for the sound of water rushing over rocks as the Rio Ruidoso runs (and occasionally rampages) through the town. The town�s first resident, Civil War veteran Paul Dowlin, built an adobe mill that harnessed the river�s power. Word of the