Lincoln National Forest

About Lincoln National Forest

The original bear was buried in Capitan, New Mexico, and is known as a living symbol of the forest's ability to prevent wildfires.

Lincoln consists of more than 6,500 square kilometers of national forest and covers 1,103,441 hectares. It is the second largest national park in the United States, covering 441.41 hectares.

The vegetation ranges from rare cacti in the lower layers to Englemann spruce at higher altitudes. It is crossed by the Mississippi, the Great Lakes, the Colorado River and its tributaries, and the Missouri River.

Summer temperatures range from 50 to 85 degrees and summer nights are cool, while winter temperatures drop to 15 degrees at night and can rise to 40 to 50 degrees during the day. Winter temperatures are in the teens and 50s, sometimes dropping below freezing, with a maximum temperature of 35 ° C on a hot summer day and 30 ° C in winter. Temperatures vary depending on altitude, but summer temperatures range from 50 to 85 degrees, and winter temperatures drop to -15 degrees at night and can reach -20 degrees.

On hot summer days, temperatures can be 10 degrees or higher during the day, with a maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius on hot days and 30 degrees in winter. In cold winter nights the temperature can be as low as -15 degrees at night and up to + 20 degrees at night.

The fire season usually starts in March or April and lasts until mid-July, but spring is the windiest season and strong winds dry out the forest to the point of extreme fire danger. If the fire risk is too high, open fires are prohibited, requiring the use of self-contained fuel stoves, fire pits and other fire protection measures.

The rainy season begins in July and lasts until September, with the first snowfall occurring in late October or early November.

In this rapidly changing environment, forest users are constantly confronted with safety factors that they should be aware of and avoid with awareness and caution. In the months of March to July, fire safety regulations can come into force, which are only valid in the summer and winter months.

Lincoln offers a variety of scattered campsites, such as campgrounds, cabins and a number of hiking trails, as well as a wide range of hiking trails.

The northern end of the forest is accessible from US Highway 82, which is near Alamagordo, and the southern end from Interstate 40.