Village Secures State Land Lease for Recreation on Moon Mountain

State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn and Ruidoso Mayor Tom Battin met on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at Village Hall to sign a 25-year lease which will protect one of New Mexico’s most scenic and historic landscapes, bolster recreation on Moon Mountain, and advance eco-tourism in the Village of Ruidoso.

Since 1905, the State Land Office has owned and managed 630 acres of State Trust Lands on Moon Mountain and under Commissioner Dunn’s direction the entire parcel will be open to hikers, mountain bikers, and lovers of the great outdoors.

According to the lease agreement, the Village will offer expanded hiking and mountain bike trail systems, install an 18-hole Frisbee golf course, open a community observatory for stargazing, and improve parking areas.

The beneficiary of revenues earned from the lease is New Mexico State University. "The value that this property adds to tourism in this area is a win to both the beneficiaries of the state and to Ruidoso. We so appreciate what the Village of Ruidoso is doing," State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn said.