 | |  | | National Forest Service |
The Smokey Bear Historical Park consists of a Visitor's Center and a half acre board walk featuring the various plant communities of New Mexico and the grave of Smokey Bear.In May of 1950, a human-caused fire ravaged 17,000 acres of forest in the Capitan Gap. It was during this fire that a bear cub found his way up a tree. With badly burned feet and buttocks, the cub clung to the tree until he was found by one of the fire crews.The cub was briefly named "Hotfoot" but was renamed Smokey Bear. Smokey Bear was flown by Game Warden Ray Bell to a veterinary hospital in Santa Fe.Once healed Smokey was flown to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. In July of 1950, then U.S. Senator Chaves of New Mexico, presented Smokey Bear to the school children of America. By 1952, having become so popular with school children as well as citizens of the world, Congress passed into law a bill governing the commercialization of the name and image of Smokey Bear. It was at about this same time that Smokey Bear was given his own zip code because of the large amount of mail he was receiving.Smokey Bear died in 1976, and at the urging of friends and supporters, his body was returned to his birthplace. He is buried in a small park which bears his name, in the heart of the Village of Capitan. |
| |  | | | Facilities: Unknown Reservations: No reservations are required at the Smokey Bear Historical Park. Best Time To Visit: The Smokey Bear Historical Park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Fees: Entrance fees are charged. Accessibility: Unknown Rules: Unknown Directions: To reach the Smokey Bear Historical Park from Alamogordo, take I-54 north to I-380 east. It is located along Highway 380 in the heart of the Village of Capitan, New Mexico. To reach the Smokey Bear Historical Park from Roswell, take I-70 west to I-380 west. It is located along Highway 380 in the heart of the Village of Capitan, New Mexico. | | |
|
| | | | Address | | Smokey Bear Park | | P.O. Box 591 | | Capitan, New Mexico 88316 |
| | | Phone | | General: (505) 354-2748 | |
| | | | | Website | | |
|
|
| | | | | |
| |
