The Sacramento Mountains behind Alamogordo offer some excellent day trips. The Sunspot National Solar Observatory, about 32 miles up scenic byway NM-6563 on Sacramento Peak, has free self-guided tours and guided tours in summer. The drive through Lincoln National Forest is half the fun. White Sands is the obvious day trip at just 15 miles, and Cloudcroft in the mountains above makes a cool escape on a hot day.