Billy the Kid Trail

Painted horses race along the pathways of the Free Spirits sculptures at the Hubbard Museum of the American West.

A chuck wagon is one of the exhibits at the Hubbard Museum of the American West on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

The Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts hosts fantastic concerts and performances.

The Torreon (a rock fort tower) where settlers hid during Indian raids, still stands in the center of Lincoln.

A skier watches the gondola at the Ski Apache Ski Area.

The snows on Sierra Blanca look down on the New Mexico valleys.

Red peppers hang from the side of a Chuck Wagon at the Cowboy Symposium on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

Chile Ristras hang from a vendor's porch that is surrounded by wagon wheels.

Indian maiden rides horseback in a rodeo parade.

Yellow primroses brighten the banks of the Ruidoso River.

A field of sunflowers color the valleys below the Sierra Blanca.

A cheerful Billy the Kid welcomes visitors to the Byway.

A river runs through the icy wilderness along the Billy the Kid Trail.

This old vehicle was one of Lincoln County's original fire trucks.

Smokey the Bear greets visitors to his own state park in New Mexico.

An old stone church stands as a symbol of the Old West.

This sign demonstrates the country atmosphere visitors will find in Lincoln County.

A pristine white stucco church signifies the culture of the area.

This unusual display at a Byway visitor center displays some side trips according to the visitor's interests.

Topping other roadsigns, the Billy the Kid Trail sign marks the way.

Visitor services like public restrooms are easily found on Billy the Kid Trail.

The Billy the Kid Trail runs through Capitan, New Mexico.

Dusk settles over the Billy the Kid Trail near Capitan.

Get a feel for the area by viewing the mountains and valleys near the Billy the Kid Trail.

A calm morning begins on the Billy the Kid Trail near Lincoln.

A local business in Ruidoso displays festive lights.

You could spend a quiet evening enjoying the sunset and Black-eyed Susans on the shaded lawns of this bed and breakfast in Lincoln.

This charming gray kitten wanders the kitchens of a bed and breakfast on the Billy the Kid Trail.

This distant view is of Fort Stanton Military Cemetery as seen from the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

Rows of crosses and a taller monument are seen in this view of Fort Stanton Military Cemetery on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

An interpretive plaque tells more about Smokey the Bear on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

Taking advantage of the sunny weather and blue skies, travelers shop in downtown Ruidoso.

An early morning view near Lincoln on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway shows shadowy steep hills and golden farmland.

Flowering shrubbery surrounds the deck of this bed and breakfast in Lincoln on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

Enjoy the lush grounds of a bed and breakfast in Lincoln on the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

Covered porches provide shade from the summer heat at the Hubbard Museum of the American West.

This detail of the sculpture "Free Spirits at Noisy Water" shows the attention to anatomy and texture the artist gave to his work.

The sculptured horses of "Free Spirits at Noisy Water" roam the landscape of the Hubbard Museum.

Travelers examine the sculpture, "Free Spirits at Noisy Water" at the Hubbard Museum of the American West.

A sculptural train of horses canter along the road at the Hubbard Museum.

Explore the courthouse and jail made famous by the footsteps of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid in Lincoln.

Looking closely at an old house in historic Lincoln will help you discover part of the past of this area.

A historic brick house with a covered doorway in Lincoln shows some of the history of the area.

An older house in Lincoln is surrounded by a white, picket fence.

Billy the Kid was remanded at Casa de Patron for several weeks in 1879.

Casa de Patron is now a bed and breakfast in Lincoln, New Mexico.

An original old home is surrounded by a rock fence.

Rock wall ruins give a hint of the past of Lincoln and the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway.

The Billy the Kid Scenic Byway travels through historic Lincoln, New Mexico, where Billy the Kid once lived.

Stop by the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway Visitor Center for exhibits and maps.

Seen from the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway, the visitor center is nestled among the beauty of green hills and blue sky.

Explore the unique shops on this street in Ruidoso.

Signs sporting the logo of Billy the Kid Scenic Trail are found prominently placed on the Byway.

Horse sculptures gallop out of the picture frame in this photo, which also shows the signage for this outdoor work of art.

The old county jail in Lincoln has a history worth learning.

The visitor center at Ruidoso Downs had an unusual guest in the men's bathroom, a wooden bear.

Lost? Check out this Billy the Kid Trail map on an outside wall at the byway visitor center in Ruidoso Downs.

Free spirits are represented by the galloping glory of these horses at the Hubbard Museum of the American West

The Billy the Kid Scenic Byway passes right through the downtown shopping district of Ruidoso.

Shoppers stroll past parked cars on a busy downtown street in Ruidoso

White crosses stand in silent memory under a blue New Mexico sky at Fort Stanton.

A fence sign announces the 'Last Escape of Billy the Kid' pageant held the first full weekend in August.

At one time, Lincoln was the home of Billy the Kid.

An abandoned mill sits on the Billy the Kid Trail.

Some bikers take advantage of the trails along the Billy the Kid Trail.

This is one of over 500 petroglyphs at the Three Rivers Petroglyphs National Recreation Area.

A man pans for gold in a small creek.

The outline of a horse statue depicts the art of the Hubbard Museum.

A church of stone sits perfectly preserved.

An unpaved path winds through fall color somewhere near the Billy the Kid Trail.

An old abandoned wagon sits in a field on the Billy the Kid Trail.

Golfers take advantage of the lovely climate in Ruidoso.

A snowboarder gets air at Ski Apache in Ruidoso.

This ranch employed Billy the Kid during the Lincoln County War.

A horse grazes on grass along the Billy the Kid Trail.

Cowboys compete for authentic representation of cowboy culture.

A church sits on a hill in the distance, backlit by a glowing violet sky

The jumping horse sculpture seems almost lifelike.

A visitor poses next to a life-size statue of Smokey Bear in Capitan, New Mexico. Behind, you can see a mural of the forest with rolling hills and fluffy, white clouds.

Clear mountain water flows down over rocks creating a waterfall surrounded by dense, green trees.

A stuffed Smokey Bear sits in a glass case inside the Smokey Bear Historical Park Museum.

A life-size statue of Smokey Bear stands with his shovel inside the Smokey Bear Historical Park.

The storefronts in Ruidoso are empty on a quiet morning.

Two llamas enjoy the Billy the Kid Trail.

A cowboy makes his dinner over a campfire at the Cowboy Symposium.