Billy the Kid Byway
Billy the Kid Byway is a National Scenic Byway in New Mexico. Within New Mexico it covers roughly 90 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Billy the Kid Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
This byway loops through the Lincoln County country of south-central New Mexico, where Billy the Kid rode during the violent Lincoln County War of the 1870s. It links the preserved frontier town of Lincoln, the mountain resort of Ruidoso with its racetrack, and the Hubbard Museum of the American West. Pine-clad mountains and high meadows surround the historic sites.
- historic Lincoln
- Billy the Kid history
- Ruidoso
- Sacramento Mountains
- Lincoln County War sites
Designated for its scenic qualities
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Places to stop along Billy the Kid Byway
Hubbard Museum of the American West
A Ruidoso Downs museum of horses and Western life, fronted by a sculpture of life-size bronze horses in full gallop, beside the byway's interpretive center.
Lincoln Historic Site
A one-street town frozen in the 1870s, where the Lincoln County War played out; Billy the Kid escaped from the courthouse here in 1881.
Where to Stay along Billy the Kid Byway
5 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Billy the Kid Byway.
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Photos of Billy the Kid Byway
What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.