In New Mexico Billy the Kid has quite a history. In the 1860’s and 1870’s Lincoln was a rowdy and prosperous ranching town and center of commerce. There was a struggle in those days between ranching and merchant groups for control of army contracts to supply beef to Fort Stanton. What happened was a five day shootout where a hired gunslinger named Billy the Kid emerged was imprisoned and escaped shooting and killing two sheriffs deputies which became part of American Western history. It may be fact or fiction no one knows but he is a legend that New Mexico celebrates with the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.
On this 84 mile loop you will discover an excellent historical museum, a famous art family and spectacular Southwestern scenery.
The loop begins at the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway Visitor Center in Ruidoso Downs. Here you will find exhibits, and maps that describe the tour you are about to take.
May thru September the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack is open. There are also opportunities for gambling at the casino here. The casino also names its restaurant after Billy the Kid.
Located next to the Visitor Center is the Hubbard Museum of the American West. This must be checked out. It is rated one of the top ten best small specialty museums in the U.S. At this museum you will see a large collection of equine, cowboy and Native American art and artifacts. Outside this museum is the world’s largest horse sculpture. – a larger than life pack of galloping ponies entitled “Free Spirits at Noisy Water” by Dave McGary a Ruidoso artist.
Check out their site to see what is currently going on.
http://www.hubbardmuseum.org/
Ruidoso is a small village of about 8,500 that exudes art and New Mexican culture. There are many boutiques, galleries, and cowboy bars. It is the third largest art market next to Santa Fe and Taos. Near this village is Sierra Blanca Peak at 12,003 feet. Ski Apache is here known as the nation’s most southern major ski area.
This area has a number of RV full-service parks:
http://www.ruidosonm.com/halls/hh_rvprk.html
http://www.hombregordito.com/
http://www.ruidoso.net/arrowhead/
http://www.bonitohollow.com/
http://www.ruidoso.net/pineridge/index.html
http://www.zianet.com/seepingsprings/
we now begin on the Byway going counter clock wise on the U.S. 70 heading east. You drive thru the Hondo Valley where lush apple and cherry orchards gives you a great calming start to the trip.
You will come across the small village of San Patricio where the Hurd Family Gallery is located. In the 1940’s a cowboy artist named Peter Hurd brought his wife here to settle and continue their painting careers at the Hurd Sentinal Ranch. Family members since have continued their painting careers ere also at the ranch. Today it is a gallery and guest ranch. Much of the works of both families can be seen here now.
This appears to be a nice little stop with affordable lodging and a unique environment.
http://www.zianet.com/seepingsprings/
Continue northwest on Hwy 380 toward Lincoln. Although this is an old western historic town it is not anything like the tourist traps of Tombstone, Dodge City or Durango. It is a well-protected landmark. The historic part is a single street lined with adobe buildings dating back to the late 1800’s. In August the residents have Old Lincoln Days with a parade, living history demonstrations, music and the reenactment of the Billy the Kid jailbreak.
The next major point of interest is Fort Stanton located three miles south of U.S. 380 on Hwy 214. Built in 1855 this fort protected the settlers from bands of White Mountain and Mescalero Apache. Kit Carson and Gen. John Pershing served here. It later became a hospital for U.S. merchant Marines that had tuberculosis. A cemetery for them is still there. After that Fort Stanton became a German internment camp, a mental institution and then a juvenile detention facility. There isn’t much there accept for a small museum that is run by volunteers. Governor Richardson could change that because of recent action to sign a bill to create Fort Stanton Commission looking into the restoration of the fort as a living museum, education center and trail riding hub.
Continuing northwest on US 380 you come to the small ranching town of Capitan. This is the birthplace of Smokey the Bear. He is actually buried at the Smokey Bear Historical State Park in Capitan. There is a small museum dedicated to fire prevention and a collection of Smokey the Bear memorabilia.
This is where you really must plan on having a meal in Capitan. A few feet from the state park is the Greenhouse Café where the greens are hydroponically grown right in Capitan. This little charming adobe restaurant has grown from the earlier Hotel Chango which had national recognition for its creative gourmet cuisine.
After your meal in Capitan the byway leads you southwest thru the pine forested mountains and Sierra Blanca the mountain peak we started with outside of Ruidoso. Here we complete the loop of New Mexico’s newest national scenic byway. For more info check out the website:
www.billybyway.com
Enjoy your drive and take it all in.
Eileen Richardson
