About this city
Also known as: Home of Billy the Kid
Fort Sumner is a historic rural village located along the Pecos River valley in De Baca County, situated in the vast, sun-bleached plains of east-central New Mexico. Originally established in the 1860s as a military post, it carries a tragic history as the site of the Bosque Redondo Reservation, where thousands of Navajo and Mescalero Apache peoples were forced into brutal military internment after completing the devastating 'Long Walk.' Decades later, the town cemented its place in wild west folklore as the final resting place of the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid, who was tracked down and fatally shot here by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881. Today, it remains a quiet farming, ranching, and historical pilgrimage destination.
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Suggested stay: 1 day
Pay respects at Billy the Kid's Gravesite and visit the adjacent Old Fort Sumner Museum, learn about indigenous history at the Bosque Redondo Memorial, and enjoy swimming and fishing at Sumner Lake State Park.
