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Big Bend National Park and Carlsbad Caverns 15 DAY SIX: UFO Museum and Ruidoso Continuing north, a visit to the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell may bring visions of flying saucers and little green men, but your afternoon sightseeing at the fine Hubbard Museum of the American West and Straddling Museum of the Horse in Ruidoso Downs will be much more "down to earth". You will be guests for the next two nights at the exceptional mountain casino resort operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe in nearby Ruidoso, offering a wealth of guest facilities. (B) DAY SEVEN: Billy the Kid Country and the Valley of Fires A day for varied interests begins as you travel the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway to New Mexico's Lincoln State Monument, the historic frontier community where Billy killed his guards and escaped from the Lincoln County Courthouse in 1881, only to be shot dead in nearby Fort Sumter by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Next is a visit to the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan to learn the story of America's original symbol of forest fire prevention. Smokey died in 1975 and is buried here. Finally, sightseeing at the Valley of Fires Recreation Area in Carrizozo showcases the gigantic Malpais Lava Flow. (B, D) DAY EIGHT: White Sands National Monument and Old Mesilla Motoring through the Mescalero Apache Reservation, you will stop to see the historic St. Joseph Mission en route to Alamogordo. A final sightseeing highlight will be your afternoon visit to incredible White Sands National Monument, an awesome expanse of snow-white, gypsum sand dunes that cover 275 square miles and rise to a height of 60 feet. You will travel the 16 mile Dunes Drive and have an opportunity to scale convenient dunes along your route. Overnight accommodations await in Las Cruces, and a delicious "farewell" dinner will be served at La Posta de Mesilla in historic Mesilla. (B, D) DAY NINE: FLY HOME FROM EL PASO After breakfast this morning your group transfer takes you to the El Paso airport for flights out after 12:00 p.m. (B) HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS Day One: Radisson Hotel, El Paso,Texas Days Two and Three: Casa Grande Lodge, Big Bend National Park, Texas Day Four: Historic Prude Guest Ranch, Fort Davis,Texas Day Five: Best Western Stevens Inn, Carlsbad, New Mexico Days Six and Seven: Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino, Ruidoso, New Mexico Day Eight: Drury Inn and Suites, Las Cruces, New Mexico Big Bend National Park