Capitan · 30 minutes from Ruidoso · State historical park
Smokey Bear Historical Park
The small state park where Smokey Bear is buried, with wildfire exhibits, a short film, native gardens and admission of $6 or less, about 30 minutes from Ruidoso.
Opens the New Mexico Forestry Division’s park page. You pay at the park, by cash or card; no reservations are needed.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Historical park & museum
Run by the NM Forestry Division
Admission
$6 adults
$4 seniors, $3 ages 7–12, free 6 & under
Hours
Tue–Sun 9–4:30
Closed Mondays; last entry 4:15 pm
Time needed
About 1 hour
Including the short film, about 10 minutes
Parking
On US-380
No RV rules posted; tour buses visit
Fire size
17,000 acres
Burned in the 1950 Capitan Gap fire
What you’ll see
Where Smokey Bear came home
A small state park in Capitan with a visitor center, a short film, native gardens and Smokey’s grave.
Photo: AllenS on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Start here
The visitor center and film
Start inside, where exhibits cover forest health, wildfire and fire ecology, and the history of wildfire prevention. A short film, about 10 minutes long according to the visitor bureau, explains how fire and forest health affect our lives today, and kids 7 to 12 can pick up a Junior Ranger workbook and earn a patch.
RV tip: the park is closed on Mondays and last entry is 4:15 pm, so plan a Tuesday-through-Sunday visit. Only service animals are allowed, so leave the dog at camp.
More to see
- Smokey’s graveSmokey died at the National Zoo on November 9, 1976, and was brought home to Capitan. His grave sits in a quiet, stone-ringed corner of the park.
- Life-zone gardensAn outdoor path passes six of New Mexico’s vegetative life zones, and native wildflowers bloom from spring into fall.
- Wildland Fallen Firefighter MemorialDedicated on May 4, 2019, it honors firefighters who died fighting wildfires.
- The old Capitan depotThe village’s original train depot stands by a playground with a fire tower, a fire engine and a climbing wall, plus picnic shelters.
- Smokey Bear DaysThe free festival each May brings a parade and firefighter competitions. In 2026 it ran May 1–2 and marked the park’s 50th anniversary.
Why go
The bear cub who became a symbol
The Capitan Gap fire started on May 6, 1950, and burned about 17,000 acres of the Capitan Mountains north of town. Three days later, crews found a badly burned black bear cub clinging to a charred tree. Game warden Ray Bell flew him to Santa Fe for treatment, and he soon became the living Smokey Bear.
Smokey lived 26 years at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., as the face of wildfire prevention. When he died in 1976, he was returned to Capitan and buried here, in the park the state established that same year; it marked its 50th anniversary in 2026.
Today the New Mexico Forestry Division runs the park, and it makes an easy stop for RVers: about 22 miles from Ruidoso on NM-48, right on US-380 in the middle of the village, with a playground, picnic shelters and public restrooms next door.
Photo: Road Travel America on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Why it made our list
- Smokey Bear’s grave and his story
- Wildfire exhibits and a short film
- $6 or less, free for kids 6 and under
- Junior Ranger books for kids
- About 30 minutes from Ruidoso
For RVers
Driving the rig to Capitan
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
An easy drive on NM-48
From Ruidoso, NM-48 runs about 22 miles north through Alto and Angus to US-380 in Capitan, and the park sits right on US-380. It publishes no RV parking rules, though it has a $15 tour-bus rate, so big vehicles do visit. With a long rig, the tow car is the easier choice.
Check the days
The park is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 am to 4:30 pm, with last entry at 4:15. It closes Mondays, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Leave pets at camp
Only service animals are allowed in the park. On a cool day, the village playground and picnic shelters next door are a good place to stretch your legs.
Make it a loop
Pair the park with the private Smokey Bear Museum gift shop next door, or continue east on US-380 to the Lincoln Historic Site. In fire season, check for Forest Service closures in the Capitan Mountains before heading out.
What visitors say about Smokey Bear Historical Park
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 29, 2026.
a true celebration of Smokey’s legacy
New Mexico Forestry Division, on Smokey Bear Days · emnrd.nm.gov
What visitors often mention
Review keywords on Tripadvisor
Forest firesShort filmInteresting displays
Tripadvisor’s review keywords for the park include forest fires, plants and trees, the short film, interesting displays, the fallen firefighters memorial and the grave, shown without counts. Checked October 29, 2026.
What admission costs
Fees from the New Mexico Forestry Division’s park page, checked October 29, 2026.
Good to know
Adults (13+)$6
Ages 7–12$3 6 & under free
Seniors (62+)$4
AcceptedCashCredit cardsVeterans Lifetime Pass
Fees from the New Mexico Forestry Division, checked October 29, 2026. School and youth groups get in free, and tour buses pay $15. Older listings showing $2 admission are out of date.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Smokey Bear Historical Park
- Address118 Smokey Bear Blvd., Capitan, NM 88316
- HoursTue–Sun 9–4:30
Closed Mondays; last entry 4:15 pm - Phone(575) 354-2748
- AdmissionPay at the park by cash or card; no reservations are needed.
- Getting thereFrom Ruidoso, take NM-48 north about 22 miles to US-380 in Capitan. The park is on US-380 (Smokey Bear Boulevard) in the village center.
- ParkingNo RV or oversize parking rules are posted; tour buses visit.
Closed Mondays and on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Last entry is 4:15 pm.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Smokey Bear Historical Park
These are the parks we have visited and written up closest to Capitan. Two are seasonal, so check their dates before a winter trip.
Rob Jaggers Campground
Quiet BLM campground in the Fort Stanton–Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area, east of Capitan.
Along the River RV Park
Small, owner-run park on the Rio Bonito off NM-37; it usually closes from about December to early March.
Bonito Hollow RV Park & Campground
Family-run campground on shady acres along the Rio Bonito; it closed for the 2026 season on October 15.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Tue–Sun 9 am–4:30 pm
Ready to meet Smokey?
Come Tuesday through Sunday, leave the dog at camp, and give the kids time for the Junior Ranger book.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: AllenS, Road Travel America, Corsair1944 and the Federal Highway Administration (all public domain) and Luke Jones (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: New Mexico Forestry Division on YouTube. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Smokey Bear Historical Park unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the New Mexico Forestry Division’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details are set by the New Mexico Forestry Division and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Smokey Bear Historical Park at emnrd.nm.gov or (575) 354-2748. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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