Smokey Bear Historical Park, Capitan, NM

Smokey Bear Historical Park is located in Capitan, NM and provides visitors with the life story of Smokey Bear. In May 1950, near Capitan, a fire destroyed 17,000 acres of forest and grasslands. A fire crew found a bear cub clinging to a burnt tree. The cub was taken, treated for his burns and soon was named Smoky Bear. After Smoky recovered from his burns at the veterinary hospital in Santa Fe, he was flown to Washington D.C. The National Zoo became his permanent home. Smokey died of old age in 1976 and his body was returned to Capitan. His grave is in the park which bears his name.