Bonito Lake is an alpine reservoir located high in the Sierra Blanca mountains northwest of Ruidoso. It is a popular fishing and camping destination, and although it is surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest, it is not a part of the national forest. It is currently owned by the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico as their primary water source. Because of the high altitude, the lake’s temperature is cold year-round, and is home to an abundance of rainbow trout. The area around the lake has several campgrounds with hiking trails and streams.

The Lincoln National Forest has not one, but three major mountain ranges: Sacramento, Guadalupe, and Capitan that cover 1.1 million acres in southeastern New Mexico. Elevations range from 4,000 to 11,500 feet and pass through five life zones from the Chihuahuan desert to the sub-alpine forest. It offers a range of recreational activities including hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, camping, and dirt bike riding. It is also home to Smokey Bear who was found on the Lincoln National Forest in 1950.