Lincoln National Forest

The Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers more than 1.1 million acres (4,500 km²). It was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln, who was 16th president of the United States

The Lincoln National Forest borders the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation and stretches across several New Mexico counties, including:

It is also home to the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak at the village of Sunspot.

Geography

The Lincoln National Forest comprises portions of four mountain ranges that are all part of the Rocky Mountains:

Elevations range between 4,000 to 11,500 feet and pass through five different life zones from Chihuahuan Desert to subalpine forest. Vegetation ranges from rare cacti in the lower elevations to Englemann spruce in the higher.

Climate

Temperatures vary with elevation. At higher elevations (7,000 feet and up), summer temperatures range between 40 °F (night) to 78 °F (day), while winter temperatures can drop to a -15 °F at night and rise to 50 °F during the day. At lower elevations (6,000 to 7,000 feet), summer temperatures range between 50 to 85 °F, while during the winter, temperatures rarely fall below 0 °F and usually run from teens to 50s. At the lowest elevations (below 6,000 feet), temperatures are generally 10 degrees F higher throughout the year.

Spring is the windy season. High winds dry the forest to the point of extreme fire danger. Fire season usually starts in March or April and continues through mid-July. If the fire danger becomes too high, open fires may be prohibited. The rainy season begins in July and continues through September. The first snows fall in late October or early November.

Towns and cities

The following towns and cities lie within the bounds of the Lincoln National Forest:

Transportation

Airports

Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, located about 15 miles northwest of Ruidoso.

Major highways

The following major highways traverse the Lincoln National Forest:

External links