Los Portales, also known as “Billy’s Castle,” has a rich history worth exploring. According to Pat Garrett’s book in 1880, the site was capable of providing a substantial water supply for at least one thousand head of cattle, making it an attractive location for Billy Bonney and Charlie Bowdre to operate a stage-line holding station, as they had wished. Bonney and Bowdre supposedly had a house in this area which sat down in an arroyo while the high hills surrounding it acted as a natural watch tower.
The area also served as a base for collecting cattle that had drifted from the Texas Panhandle. Today, some of the caves stand at eye level, while others have been eroded over time. A once-functional windmill was installed when the springs dried up, but eventually abandoned due to the continued lowering of the water table. It is worth noting that Pat Garrett had a hand in the irrigation of eastern New Mexico. While the site is challenging to locate, a historic marker on Highway 70, northeast of Portales can guide you there.