Contact Info

Capitan Chamber of Commerce
Mary Brothers
PO Box 441
Capitan, NM 88316-0441

Phone: 575-354-2273
Fax: 575-354-3666
Contact via Email
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Our Website

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Services

• Tourism
• Desert Vacations
• Small Town Activities
• Economic Development
• Tourism Development
• Smokey the Bear
• Billy the Kid

Hours of Operation

Be sure to join us for the Independence Day Parade

About Us

Founded in the 1890's, incorporated in
1941, the Village retains it's small town,
western heritage. Buried on the grounds
of the Smokey Bear Historical Park is
Capitan's most famous resident, Smokey
Bear often incorrectly referred to Smokey
the Bear, the badly singed black bear cub
was rescued from a a 17,000 acre fire in
the Capitan Mountains. Each year the
residents celebrate his memory with the
Smokey Bear Stampede, 4 days of
festivities, including a fun run marathon,
parade, barbeque, western dance, music
festival and rodeo events commencing
over the 4th of July weekend. Come visit
us. What better way to have a safe and
sane 4th!

Surrounded by the tall pines of the
Lincoln National Forest, Capitan is ideally
located in the heart of historic Lincoln
County. Home to 2,000 unpretentious
residents, the Village is situated between
the Capitan and Sacramento Mountains
at an elevation of 6,530 feet.
Enjoying a temperate climate, the
average rainfall is 15.7 inches, the mean
maximum temperature is 68 degrees and
the mean minimum temperature is 36
degrees. Hardly a day goes by without
brilliant sunshine, pleasantly cooled by
the brisk mountain air.

Capitan is located 165 miles southeast of
Albuquerque, 145 miles northeast of Las
Cruces, a mere 16 miles from Lincoln, site
of Old Lincoln Days, featuring a
re-enactment of Billy the Kid's Last
Escape, a parade, fiddler's contest and
crafts fair. Ruidoso, bordering the
Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, is a
cozy year-round mountain resort, home
to Ski Apache, Casino Apache and Ruidoso
Downs is a scenic 25 miles south.



Rural Lincoln County is home to a
wide variety of excellent galleries,
studios & museums. Follow the
suggested route and you'll find rare
period works by Peter Hurd and
Henriette Wyeth sharing wall space
with the best fresh off the easel
paintings and watercolors. Along the
route, several galleries feature an
eclectic selection of contemporary
crafts of the highest caliber- sculpture,
jewelry, ceramics, fiber arts,
woodworking, glass and basketry.

Inspired by the mesmerizing diversity
of New Mexico, visit the studios of an
expanding influx of artists practicing
their individual craft.

Plan a day trip or weekend excursion
to the Lincoln county communities of
Capitan, Carrizozo, Lincoln, Hondo,
San Patricio, Glencoe, Nogal and White
Oaks. Get a dose of culture while
enjoying the scenic beauty.