Back
Billy the Kid Byway: Hondo to Capitan, Lincoln County, New Mexico
Photo: nickpaolini81 · CC BY 3.0

Drives New Mexico Southern New Mexico

Billy the Kid Byway: Hondo to Capitan

US 380 · Hondo → Capitan

Leisurely21 mi25 min1,600 ft climbHigh point ≈ 6,400 ftOne way
Scan to drive it in CarvePoint a phone's camera here. It opens ready to drive.
Drive it in Carve, free

Opens this route in the app, or where to get it.

Drive this road
in the appOpen

The drive

This is the western half of the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway, driven on US 380 from the Hondo valley to Capitan. The byway as a whole is an 84-mile loop through Lincoln County, and this piece runs through ranch country and pine with easy bends and little hurry.

The place to stop is Lincoln. The town was the center of the Lincoln County War of 1878 to 1881, and the highway is its main street. Lincoln Historic Site keeps the Old Courthouse, with exhibits on the war, and invites visitors to walk where Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett once did. Fort Stanton Historic Site, a former army post with 88 buildings, some dating to 1855, is a short side trip.

The drive ends in Capitan, home of Smokey Bear Historical Park, where Highway 48 comes in from Ruidoso.

Along the way

  1. Hondo (US-380 west)
  2. Lincoln
  3. Capitan (US-380)
Elevation
1,600 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 6,400 ft
HondoCapitan
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
HondoCapitan
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Lincoln's historic street is US 380 itself, so slow down for pedestrians and cars turning in.
  • The historic buildings keep their own hours; check before planning a stop.
  • Most travelers reach Hondo from Ruidoso Downs and Roswell on US 70.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NMDOT NMRoads.

Questions about this drive

How long does the Billy the Kid Byway from Hondo to Capitan take?

The drive on US 380 from Hondo to Capitan is 21.3 miles and takes about 25 minutes without stops.

What is Lincoln, New Mexico known for?

Lincoln is known for the Lincoln County War of 1878 to 1881 and for Billy the Kid, and its historic street is the highway.

How long is the whole Billy the Kid Scenic Byway?

The full byway is an 84-mile loop through Lincoln County that includes Ruidoso, Hondo, Lincoln and Capitan. The Hondo to Capitan stretch is the western part, on US 380.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.

Download on theApp StoreEarly access onGoogle Play

More drives near here

All 31 drives in New Mexico ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

+ Plan a new route
Map of Billy the Kid Byway: Hondo to Capitan, from Hondo to Capitan