Highway 48: Ruidoso to Capitan

Highway 48 heads north out of Ruidoso, a resort town in the Sacramento Mountains, and climbs through Alto and the pine of Lincoln National Forest before settling toward the village of Capitan. It is a relaxed mountain road: short climbs, easy bends and Sierra Blanca behind you for the early miles.

Along the way it crosses NM 532 and NM 220 near Alto, and meets NM 37 at Angus. It ends at Capitan on US 380, the village best known for Smokey Bear Historical Park. The bear cub found after the 1950 Capitan Gap fire became the living Smokey, and the park, which also holds his grave, tells that story.

At Capitan you are on the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway, so the drive links easily to the US 380 drive from Hondo through Lincoln.