White Oaks

White Oaks is a ghost town in Lincoln County, New Mexico, sitting on the edge of the Lincoln National Forest. Gold discovery in the nearby Jicarilla Mountains touched off a boomtown rush in 1879, and the settlement grew quickly around gold extraction before eventually declining into abandonment.

Visitors today find a quiet remnant of that era — scattered historic structures and the evocative stillness common to New Mexico ghost towns. The surrounding high-desert landscape makes it a rewarding stop for history-minded travelers and photographers.