Billy the Kid Trail received a Scenic Historic Byway designation from the Federal Highway Commission in June of 1995. In June of 1998 the designation was upgraded to a National Scenic Byways. It is rich in history, and has been home to Billy the K id, the Lincoln County War, the Mescalero Apache tribe, Kit Carson, "Black Jack" Pershing, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the world's richest Quarter Horse race.