Recommended Rides
Miles:
80 miles
Average Riding Time:
1.5-2.0 hours
Restaurants:
Tinnie Silver Dollar
Smokey Bear Restaurant
Attractions:
Lincoln State Monument
Smokey Bear Historical Park
Mark Heid oversees
the Rocky Mountain
Region as National
Evangelist.
By MARK Heid
FOR
more than fifty years, motorcyclists
from across the
southwestern United States have made
Ruidoso, New Mexico, an annual destination.
This beautiful mountain town is
located in the high desert plains of
southern New Mexico and sits at the
base of the 12,000-foot Sierra Blanca
peak. There are two annual motorcycle
rallies to choose from: Golden Aspen,
held at Ruidoso Downs in September,
and AspenCash, held at the Ruidoso
Convention Center in May.
No trip to one of these rallies would
be complete without at least one ride
around the Billy the Kid Trail. This 84-
mile Historic Scenic Byway loop offers
not only great riding through grassy
plains and mountain pines, but will take
you back in time to the days of the Old
West.
Begin your journey by traveling
northeast from Ruidoso on NM-70 for
28 miles to the small village of Hondo.
The loop turns northwest at this point;
however, if you are looking for an excellent
lunch, consider continuing another
4 miles on Highway 70 to the town of
Tinnie and the classic Tinnie Silver
Dollar. This former mercantile and post
office has been transformed with
Victorian architecture, stained glass
windows from Germany, the Tinnie
tower and Al Capone’s bar which was
moved from Chicago. The menu ranges
from elegant evening meals to relaxed
20⎪SEPTEMBER 2020⎪shop.cmausa.org