Recommended Rides
lunches or a cold drink on the deck.
Meanwhile, back at Hondo, ride
10 miles northwest on Highway
380 to the National Historic Site of
Lincoln, New Mexico. This wellpreserved
Old West town was the
center of the bloody Lincoln
County War. Strolling in and
around the court house, church,
jail, Tunstall Store and defensive
tower, El Torreón, will take you
back in time to the late 1800s. The
Anderson-Freeman Visitor's Center
& Museum gives a good historical
overview ranging from prehistory
Native American through the
Lincoln County War.
Even more notable than the
buildings were the famous characters
who passed through Lincoln,
including Billy the Kid, Sheriff Pat
Garrett, John Chisum, and numerous
other Old West personalities. It
was here in 1881 that Billy the Kid
escaped from jail, killing two
deputies in the process. Just three
months later, at the age of 21, Billy
was gunned down by Sheriff
Garrett in nearby Fort Stanton.
From Lincoln, continue west on
Highway 380 for eight miles and
turn left on Highway 220 for the
three mile ride to historic Fort
Stanton. This Army fort was
established in 1855 to control the
local Apache Indians. It was once
under the command of Kit Carson
and was home to the famous
African-American Buffalo Soldiers.
Since closure as a military fort, it
has served as a tuberculosis hospital,
a WWII German internment
camp, a training school, a lowsecurity
women's prison, and was
finally declared a state monument.
Take some time to stroll the
grounds, check out the buildings,
and visit the small museum.
From Fort Stanton, return to
Highway 380 and continue west 10
miles to the town of Capitan,
which commemorates the life of
Smokey Bear. The famous bear
was born near here in 1950 and
severely burned in a forest fire as a
young cub. The
National Forest
Service adopted
him and used the
cub to promote a
nation-wide fire
prevention program.
Upon his
death in 1976,
Smokey was laid
to rest here in
Capitan on the
grounds of the
Smokey Bear
Historical Park.
Just two blocks west of the park
is another good dining option at
the Smokey Bear Restaurant. This
casual eatery offers family dining
at reasonable prices.
Continue your journey back to
Ruidoso by taking NM-48 south
for 17 miles through Angus and
Alto. This segment through the
pines and meadows is a favorite of
motorcyclists, and is a great way
to finish the loop by enjoying the
rolling hills and sweeping curves. It
isn’t hard to see why Native
Americans, explorers, adventurers,
outlaws, and bikers have been
making this area a destination for
centuries. Enjoy the ride. CMA
Mark and Tammy Heid oversees the Rocky
Mountain Region as National Evangelist.
21⎪SEPTEMBER 2020⎪www.cmausa.org