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. It was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln, who was 16th president of the United States This article is on national forests in the United States. ... Official language(s) None; English and Spanish de facto Capital Largest city Santa Fe Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi  (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed the Rail Splitter, Honest Abe and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... The presidential seal was used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

The Lincoln National Forest borders the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation and stretches across serveral New Mexico counties, including: Official language(s) None; English and Spanish de facto Capital Largest city Santa Fe Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi  (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ...

• Chaves County
• Eddy County
• Lincoln County
• Otero County

Chaves County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ... Eddy County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ... Lincoln County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ... Otero County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ...

Geography

The Lincoln National Forest comprises portions of three mountain ranges that are all part of the Rocky Mountains: White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada Longs Peak of the Rocky Mountains as depicted on the Colorado state quarter The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ...

• Capitan Mountains
• Guadalupe Mountains
• Sacramento 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. The Capitan Mountains are a mountain range in New Mexico in the United States. ... The Guadalupe Mountains is a mountain range located in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. ... Sacramento Mountains an eastern extension of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern New Mexico into West Texas. ... The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border. ...

Climate

Temperatures vary with elevation. At higher elevations (7,000 feet and up), summer temperatures range between 40º Fahrenheit (night) to 78º (day), while winter temperatures can drop to a -15º at night and rise to 40º-50º during the day. At lower elevations (6,000 to 7,000 feet), summer temperatures range between 50º to 85º, while during the winter, temperatures rarely fall below 0º Fahrenheit and usually run from teens to 50s. At the lowest elevations (below 6,000 feet), temperatures are generally 10 degrees higher throughout the year. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ... Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ...

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:

• Cloudcroft, New Mexico
• Glencoe, New Mexico
• High Rolls, New Mexico
• Mayhill, New Mexico
• Pine Lodge, New Mexico
• Ruidoso, New Mexico
• Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
• Sunspot, New Mexico
• Timberon, New Mexico

Cloudcroft is a village located in Otero County, New Mexico. ... Ruidoso is a small mountain village/city located in Lincoln County, New Mexico, USA. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 7,698. ... Ruidoso Downs is a village located in Lincoln County, New Mexico. ... Sunspot is an area in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, New Mexico, 18 miles south of Cloudcroft, New Mexico. ... Timberon is a census-designated place located in Otero County, New Mexico. ...

Transportation

Major Highways

The following major highways traverse the Lincoln National Forest:

• U.S. Route 70
• U.S. Route 82
• U.S. Route 380

U.S. Highway 70 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles (3,838 km) from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. ... U.S. Highway 82 is an east-west United States highway. ... U.S. Highway 380 is an east-west United States highway. ...

See Also

• Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation

External links

• Lincoln National Forest