Las Cruces, -> White Sands -> Alamagordo -> Cloudcroft -> Artesia

Hwy 82 from Alamagordo turn off to Cloudcroft. This is one of those feather in your cap type of rides., 6% grade over 14 miles. Thank goodness there is a good bail point
between Milemarker 10 and 11. http://www.cloudcrofthostel.com/. Just remember the other side is a rail grade for miles and miles and miles.

I suspect the Cloudcroft area camp grounds would be way to chilly that time of year.