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What
to See and Do
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to Stay
In
1878, the Lincoln County War pitted cowboys and ranchers
against bankers and politicians. A three-day shootout
resulted in several deaths and no victory for either
side. William "Billy the Kid" Bonney was one of the
cowboys who fled during the siege. Three years later,
Billy was re-captured and brought back to Lincoln to be
hanged.
He
escaped from the Lincoln County Courthouse, killing two
guards, only to be chased to Fort Sumner by Pat Garrett
(the county sheriff) and shot to death. The spirit of the
murderous events of 1878 still hovers over the area ,and
the entire little town of Lincoln -- still very much as
it was then -- has been designated a National Historic
Site.
Lincoln
County lies in high country, north of Cloudcroft and east
of Roswell. Sierra Blanca Peak, with an elevation of
12,003 feet, is the highest mountain in southern New
Mexico. On its eastern slopes is the Ski Apache downhill
ski area, which has a vertical rise of 1,800 feet and
lots of powder skiing.
This
historic region is located in the San Francisco
Mountains, southweast of Albuquerque, and a half-day's
drive from Las Cruces.Nearby communities include
Cloudcroft and Alamogordo.
Ruidoso,
a town that is synonymous with quarter horses, is located
thirty-five miles southwest of Lincoln. Ruidoso Downs --
the racetrack -- is famed as the prime racing center for
quarter horses and the site of the All-American Futurity,
the world's richest horse race, which is held annually on
Labor Day. A full season of quarter horse and
thoroughbred racing is staged each summer, with horse
sales taking place several times during the summer and
fall.
What
to See & Do
Ruidoso
Downs
Thoroughbreds
and quarter horses race from May until Labor Day.
Bleacher seating is free. The Hubbard Museum of the
American West, located beside the racetrack, houses
the extensive Anne C. Stradling Collection of horse art
and memorabilia -- from a Russian sleigh and an 1860
stagecoach to Remington statues and paintings by Charles
Russell and many other Western artists. The museum is
open daily and a fee is charged. For information, call
(505) 378-4142.
Smokey
Bear Historic Park
The
Lincoln National Forest straddles the Sacramento
Mountains, offering recreational opportunities. This park
commemorates the original Smokey, a local forest resident
who survived a fire and became famous as the symbol of
forest fire prevention. Smokey died in 1976 and was
buried in nearby Capitan. The park visitor center has
exhibits on the beloved ursine and on forest
firefighting.
Outdoor
Attractions
Two
River Park, located 2 miles from downtown Ruidoso on
Sudderth Drive, is situated beside the Ruidoso River,
with pine groves and a picnic area. Bonito Lake,
16 miles north of town on New Mexico Route 37, is a
scenic forest lake that is popular with anglers and also
offers a great site for a picnic. There are trails to old
mine sites in the mountains. Horseback riding is a
natural thing to do when visiting this horse-driven town.
The Inn of the Mountain Gods, a resort complex,
has a stable.
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