Lincoln National Forest
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Lincoln National Forest is one of five national forests in New Mexico, covering 1.1 million acres in four counties. Elevations range from 4,000 to 11,500 feet in three major mountain ranges: Sacramento, Guadalupe and Capitan. The forest is broken down into four ranger districts: Smokey Bear, Cloudcroft, Guadalupe and Mayhill.
Lincoln National Forest Map
Important Information:
Official site:
www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln
Address:
Federal Building, 1101 New York Avenue, Alamogordo, NM 88310-6992, United States
Related Attractions
Ruidoso, New Mexico
The town of Ruidoso is located northeast of Alamogordo in Lincoln County. With an elevation of 7,000 feet, the town has many skiers pass through in the winter, and many horse racing enthusiasts on summer weekends.
Flying J Ranch
Flying J Ranch is a dinner and theater complex located eight miles east of Ruidoso. From late May to early fall, there is a stage show featuring the "Flying J Wranglers".
Old Mill
The Old Mill is the oldest building in Ruidoso. It was originally called Dowlin's Mill, after Paul Dowlin a Civil War veteran and retired Army captain.
Spencer Theater
Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts opened in October 1997. It is located on a high mesa near Ruidoso, overlooking Sierra Blanca and the Capitan Mountains.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a small mountain village located in Otero County near Alamogordo at an elevation of 8,650 feet.
Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village (formerly Cloudcroft Museum)
The Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village is run by the Sacramento Mountains Historical Society, and showcases the history of the area. Pioneers came to this Sacramento Mountains before the turn of the 20th C, encroaching on the Mescalero Apaches who inhabited the area. The museum describes the story of these resilient peoples as they struggled against the elements and against one another to tame the environs and claim a portion of it as their own.
Cloudcroft Lodge and Golf Course
Cloudcroft Lodge and Golf Course is a century-old landmark in Cloudcroft. The lodge was rebuilt after a fire in 1919 and is said to be haunted by a ghost named Rebecca. The golf course is the highest in the state.
Ski Cloudcroft (Snow Canyon)
Ski Cloudcroft is the southernmost ski area in the United States. There are 27 slopes and snowboarding facilities.
Guadalupe Ranger District
The Guadalupe Ranger District comprises the southern portion of the Lincoln National Forest, and is administered from Carlsbad. The rugged area is dominated by limestone caves and deep canyons.
Rim Road
The Rim Road is a gravel route along the southern part of the Guadalupe Ranger District, with views of Dog Canyon and the Brokeoff Mountains.
Cloudcroft Ranger District
Cloudcroft Ranger District is part of the Lincoln National Forest, covering 209,668 acres.
Apache Point Observatory
Apache Point Observatory is located 18 miles south of Cloudcroft near the town of Sunspot in the Sacramento Mountains.
Mayhill Ranger District
The Mayhill Ranger District consists of 240,851 acres of the Lincoln National Forest, along the eastern slopes of the Sacramento Mountain Range.
James Canyon Recreation Area
James Canyon Recreation Area is the only developed recreation site in the Mayhill Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest.
Smokey Bear Ranger District
The Smokey Bear Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest is administered from Ruidoso. The area totals 375,000 acres, including two wilderness areas.
Capitan Mountains Wilderness
The 35,000-acre Capitan Mountains Wilderness area is part of the Smokey Bear Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest. The Capitan Mountains are one of the few ranges that run from east to west, containing Capitan Peak (10,083 ft), Chimney Rock and Sunset Peak.
White Mountain Wilderness
The 48,143-acre White Mountain Wilderness is located in the Smokey Bear Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest. Elevations range from 6,500 to 11,580 feet near Lookout Mountain.
Sierra Blanca Peak
Sierra Blanca is the southernmost peak in the United States, rising to 12,003 feet, near the town of Ruidoso.
Ski Apache
Ski Apache, one of the largest ski resorts in the Southwest, is managed by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Ski Apache has the second highest snow accumulation of any ski area in New Mexico due to its location on the slopes of Sierra Blanca Mountain in the Lincoln National Forest.
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