Lincoln, Montana
A small mountain town in the upper Blackfoot Valley, with gold rush roots and big country all around it.
Lincoln, Montana
Lincoln is a small mountain town of about a thousand people, surrounded by national forest and wilderness, with the Blackfoot River running right through it.
Lincoln sits at about 4,560 feet in Lewis and Clark County, along Montana Highway 200. Missoula is about 77 miles to the west, Great Falls is about 87 miles to the northeast, and Helena is about an hour away over Flesher Pass.
Lincoln at a glance
- Founded
- 1865, as a gold camp
- Population
- About 1,000
- Elevation
- About 4,560 feet
- County
- Lewis and Clark
- Record low
- 70 below at Rogers Pass, 1954
A little history
Lincoln got its start in the gold rush. In 1865, two prospectors staked a claim in a gulch they named Abe Lincoln Gulch, in honor of the president who had just been assassinated. A town grew up at the mouth of the gulch, and it’s been Lincoln ever since. The post office has been running since 1887.
After the gold, logging, ranching, and mining along the Blackfoot kept the town going. The Hotel Lincoln, built in 1914, and the Lincoln Community Hall, built in 1918, are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A few miles east of town, Rogers Pass holds a record that locals like to talk about. On January 20, 1954, the temperature there dropped to 70 below zero, the coldest ever officially recorded in the lower 48 states. Don’t worry, we’re only open mid April to mid October.
Sculpture in the Wild
Lincoln is home to one of the most unique art parks in the country. Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild opened in 2014 in the forest just east of town. Sculptors from the United States, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, and other countries have created large outdoor works using materials from the valley, like burned timber, old sawmill logs, and steel from the area’s mining past.
- Where: Just east of town on Highway 200, about 5 minutes from the campground.
- Cost: Free.
- Hours: Open year round, dawn to dusk.
- Good to know: On site parking and leashed dogs welcome.
Around town
- Hooper Park sits along the Blackfoot River and hosts concerts and community events in the summer.
- The Upper Blackfoot Valley Historical Society Museum covers the Native peoples of the valley, the gold rush, logging, and ranching.
- The Lincoln Ranger Station has maps, trail information, and a grizzly bear exhibit.
- Local cafes, saloons, and shops give Lincoln its small town feel. Ask us for our current favorites.
Lincoln in winter
When our season ends, Lincoln becomes a winter destination, with more than 200 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and the Race to the Sky sled dog race. The campground is closed in the winter, but we’d love to see you when we open again on April 15.
Keep exploring
More to see and do
Open April 15 to October 15
Come see our little town.
Book your site just west of Lincoln on Highway 200.