Chaparral, NM Outdoor Activities

At Ricky's Paintball, the desert field's design incorporates both constructed and natural obstacles, such as wooden structures and shade-bearing trees, where combatants try to blend in before opening fire on opponents. Before play begins, referees acquaint beginners with the basics, then clarify safety rules so players of all experience levels feel comfortable stepping onto the field. Teams commence shooting at one another in a hailstorm of color, picking out their opponents from their teammates as they target from behind obstacles and duck around corners incognito. Once the shots have ceased, teammates engage with one another in a picnic area fortified with cold refreshments and materials for building a Trojan horse before the next game. Outside the playing field, Ricky's Paintball also encompasses a pro shop, and on select occasions, hosts Airsoft play to gunmen who have their own gear and use only biodegradable ammo.

A member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball's sunny South Division, the El Paso Diablos dazzle crowds that can exceed 10,000 at the friendly confines of Cohen Stadium. Though not affiliated with any Major League teams, the American Association has helped launch the careers of numerous major and minor leaguers, giving fans the fun of guessing who might be the league’s next MLB prospect, which team he might play for, and which flavor of Gatorade he sweats.

The peaks of the Organ Mountains rise above the Mesilla Valley, framing the immaculate greenery of Sonoma Ranch Golf Course's 18-hole, 7,028-yard layout. Designed by internationally renowned course architect Cal Olson, the course unfurls across the valley floor with undulating fairways, encroaching water hazards, and sprawling bunkers that force players to build sandcastle trebuchets to rescue errant golf balls. A lengthy course when played from the back tees, the grassy monolith also challenges players' short game with massive, bentgrass greens peppered with hard-to-read breaks. Clubbers can prepare for their pin-hunting voyage with a stint at the driving range or practice green, or stare down the treacherous fairways over a tasty nosh at the Sunset Grill, which overlooks the scenic expanse.

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by Cal Olson
• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Bentgrass greens
• Length of 7,028 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.1 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 120 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options

Although the views of the Sacramento Mountains are imposing and majestic at ground level, nothing can compete with approaching them from 10,000 feet above. That’s why the staff at Skydive White Sands offers a range of jumps and classes that let guests get a bird’s-eye view of the mountain peaks, smooth white sands, and roller-skating clouds while feeling the rush of an adrenaline-pumping free fall. Staff members send jumpers into the air in a Cessna 206, then strap themselves to students for a tandem jump or teach them how to man their own parachute during the seven-level skydiving-licensing program. While in flight, clients can choose to record their experience with a handheld camera that documents their free fall and peaceful descent to the ground.

Raekwon, whose quest for hip-hop immortality led him on sonic adventures with the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, headlines the 2012 edition of the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party at Robinson Street. His rhymes mingle with sounds from the party’s other musical guests, which include Pitchfork darling Cults, Supernatural, and JD Era. As their ears take in the amplified sounds emanating from three outdoor performance spaces, guests can fill mouths with snacks from food trucks such as Tacoholics instead of showing St. Patrick’s pride by eating a bag full of grass clippings.

Framed by the rising peaks of distant mountain ranges, Red Hawk Golf Club's challenging, Ken Dye–designed course unfurls across 200 acres of immaculate turf and brambly native grasses. The course measures a daunting 7,523 yards from the farthest tees, and its open layout, undulating greens, and pot bunkers full of fossilized bagpipes channel the quaint charms of links-style Scottish courses. Five rippling ponds come into play on eight holes, and clubbers may need to adjust their yardage expectations to compensate for the layout's 4,300-foot elevation. An expansive driving range helps linksmen clear the cobwebs from sleepy swings, and PGA-certified instructors foster lower scores and higher fives with lessons, clinics, and other developmental programs.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Yardage ranging from 5,202 to 7,523
• Five tee options
• Hole-by-hole layout