We went to Alamogordo, New Mexico, to visit White Sands National Park, which we enjoyed. Since we were in the Alamogordo area for several days, though, we took advantage of checking out the area in the mountains above the city.
We stayed at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and highly recommend it for its location and views. It’s a short drive to the national park and the New Mexico Museum of Space History, which we covered in a YouTube video.
A long but doable daylong roundtrip from the state park takes you to a world utterly different from the desert ecology of the Alamogordo area. It’s thousands of feet higher in the mountains above the city and well worth the drive.
From Alamogordo, drive north up US-54 and then US-70 into the mountains. Then, take US-380 west straight into Lincoln.
Lincoln: site of the Lincoln County War
The Lincoln County War was a violent conflict that erupted in Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, between 1878 and 1881. It was a battle to control the county’s economy, primarily centered around the cattle trade.
Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan were merchants who monopolized the region’s supplies. John Tunstall was an English-born rancher and merchant who competed with the Irish Catholic merchants, lawmen, and politicians — including Murphy and Dolan — who ran the town of Lincoln and the county. Alexander McSween was a lawyer and Tunstall’s business partner.
Perhaps most famous or infamous was Billy the Kid, a young gunslinger who became involved with McSween’s faction.
The war began as a business dispute with Tunstall and McSween on one side and Murphy and Dolan on the other. Tunstall and McSween aimed to break the monopoly on supplies and create a more competitive market. This led to a series of legal battles and escalating tensions.
The situation turned violent when John Tunstall was gunned down. This event ignited a full-scale war between the two sides, often called the “Regulators” (Tunstall’s supporters) and the Murphy/Dolan faction.
Billy the Kid, a member of the Regulators, became a legendary figure during the conflict. His involvement added a layer of myth and intrigue to the already dramatic story.
Fort Stanton
Events escalated until the U.S. Army was eventually called in to stop them. Troops were dispatched from Fort Stanton, about 11 miles southwest of Lincoln.
You can visit the fort and see the more than 80 buildings that still exist there, some of which are in good shape and others undergoing renovation. We didn’t have enough time to explore the fort, but we wish we had. Consider building this into your itinerary if you are interested in that time in history. It’s one of the few remaining forts from the 1800s that still has so many original buildings on site.
Smokey Bear History
The Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan is about 12 miles west of Lincoln (or 7 miles northwest of Fort Stanton if you go there first).
Smokey Bear is one of American history’s most recognizable and enduring public service icons. His story is a blend of character creation and real-life inspiration.
In 1944, amidst the challenges of World War II, wildfires were a significant threat to the nation’s forests. To combat this, the U.S. Forest Service created Smokey Bear as the face of their wildfire prevention campaign. Artist Albert Staehle brought the character to life, and Smokey quickly became a beloved symbol.
In 1950, a bear cub was rescued from a forest fire in New Mexico. Severely burned, he was nursed back to health and brought to Washington, D.C., to serve as a living symbol of Smokey Bear. This real Smokey Bear lived at the National Zoo and received thousands of letters.
He died when he was 26 years old, and his body was returned to Capitan to be buried in a place of honor at the historical park.
In addition to Smokey’s history, the park offers many opportunities to learn about the area’s flora and fauna and wildland firefighting techniques. A memorial to New Mexico firefighters who have died fighting wildfires also is located there.
You can even become a Junior Ranger and earn a certificate showing your commitment to helping Smokey prevent wildfires.
A dining tip
On your way back down the mountain, consider stopping in Ruidoso for dinner at Corazon. Their well-trained chef cooks food you wouldn’t expect to find in a small mountain town in New Mexico. The food was delicious, and we’d go back again if we could!
A shorter trip: Cloudcroft and the Trestle hiking trail
If you’re not up for a long drive, at least head into the mountains above the Alamogordo area to the town of Cloudcroft. The city is about 35 miles northeast of Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. It’s the highest town in New Mexico at around 9,000 feet. A cute resort town, Cloudcroft boasts numerous restaurants to visit for dinner.
Before eating, you can work up an appetite at the Trestle Depot Recreation Area.
There is a replica of the old Cloudcroft train depot. The area also has trailheads for several hiking and biking paths, catering to different skill levels. You can explore the surrounding Lincoln National Forest, enjoy breathtaking views, and even catch glimpses of the historic trestles. Interpretive signs throughout the area offer insights into the region’s railroad history.
The Alamogordo Area has a lot to offer
A national park, a space museum, a great state park for camping, desert and mountain ecology, and a ton of history are available to explore in the Alamogordo area.
You may consider visiting for a day or two to see White Sands National Park. But think about staying for longer and exploring the entire Alamogordo area. We think you’ll be as impressed as we were.
Keep on trekin’, and we’ll see you out there!