8 Most Beautiful Lakes In New Mexico
New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, really is! Considering all the desert landscape with magical oases, which may as well be a hallucination, the unique state is a popular year-round getaway from the nearby states for warm-weather travelers to enjoy waterside recreation and scenic hikes through the many lush parks.
With many white-sand beaches and even seashelling opportunities, diverse wildlife sightings, and the darkest skies for nights under the stars, you are in for a real treat in this southern state's natural bounty. Visit one of these beautiful lakes for a unique waterside escape over the weekend or on a summer camping trip. You will find plenty of ways to relax and enjoy pursuits amid the state's most awe-inspiring nature along the shores.
Abiquiu Lake, Rio Arriba County
This big, beautiful lake, which lends its name to the nearby town, fits scenically into the beautiful Rio Arriba County. Along with its Chama River and the highest point of Truchas Peak at 13,102 feet, the area is a renowned destination for outdoor pursuits. Just an hour and a half from Santa Fe, it is where the famous artist Georgia O’Keeffe painted some of her best works amid the fantastic red rock cliffs and scrubby high desert environment.
The jewel-like lake surface of the 5,200-acre reservoir, stark against the scenery, is a blue oasis with clear, cool water and a small, sandy beach perfect for swimming and basking days on end in the sun on a getaway from the hot city. Enjoy fishing and boating with the best views and camping under the stars,along with plenty of other nearby attractions to overfill an itinerary on a weekend getaway.
Cochiti Lake, Sandoval County
The beautiful lake in the namesake town is a popular year-round respite into nature, just under an hour north from the busy city of Albuquerque and 45 minutes to Sante Fe. The unique beach, perfect for sunbathing and relaxing at the sights of the clear waters, is strewn with shells and sea glass, offering a unique opportunity only a few lakes can offer to enjoy. Cochiti Lake is a perfect family destination within the Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Reservation, with many nearby friendly farmers and nature trails with wildlife like deer or coyotes.
Sightsee the Cochiti Dam, one of the largest dams in the world, and enjoy on-water pursuits like windsurfing, canoeing, and kayaking. The hidden gem with the perfect beach for treasure hunts offers the best views for all your pursuits, from relaxing swims and taking sun baths to camping, boating, or a hot-day swimming trip. This Pena Blanca natural oasis with a large sandy beach area is as popular on a hot day getaway from the city for friends as it is among families, where small children love to play, wade, and hunt for seashells.
Eagle Nest Lake, Colfax County
Find this Rio Chama gem in northern New Mexico, about two and a half hours from Santa Fe, near the town of Angel Fire. The lush Cimarron Canyon State Park embracing the lake is strewn with nature trails, wonders, and shady spots for a picnic. Enjoy camping with refreshing dips to wake up to, and wander through the park with another cooling swim post-hike.
Eagle Nest Lake is an aptly named sparkling oasis at 8,200 feet above sea level, within spectacular surrounding mountainous scenery. It is cooler here than lower parts of the state, with plentiful local wildlife to sightsee on a hike and scenic shores bounding the 2,400 acres (1,300 ha) of water space to find your spot for fishing or enjoy a day of boating.
El Vado Lake, Rio Arriba County
This scenic 3,200-acre lake is a long-time favorite destination for salmon and trout fishing. With the El Vado Lake State Park on the eastern side, you can enjoy camping and picnic sites to spend days in nature with easy water access throughout your daily puruits. A scenic 8.9-kilometer hiking trail along the lake's northern edge links to Heron Lake State Park, with more great hikes in the summer, wintertime snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
The lake steals the show, with every inch of its immense surface as clear and beautiful as the last to enjoy while gliding across the waters in a vessel of choice or swimming. Take in the scenery along the shores while basking in the summertime heat, with the fresh breath from the parks blending with the lake breeze in a marvelous tickle on your skin.
Elephant Butte Reservoir, Sierra County
Despite a longer driving distance of three hours from Santa Fe and the fact that the lake is slowly drying up, the beauty of Elephant Butte does not evaporate. Elephant Butte Reservoir remains one of the state's largest and most scenic lakes to visit before it is too late to enjoy a cooling dip or a whole vacation worth of swimming, camping, boating, hiking, and fishing. Set within New Mexico's largest state park, the lake is a dream for sightseers and photographers, with endless angles to capture the scenery with eyes and cameras.
Best memories are made through experiences, so set up a relaxing spread along the lush shore with a close group where there are plenty of picnic areas and reserve a campsite for overnight immersion into nature and starry skies peeking at you through the treetops. Make the worthy roadtrip for the plenty of eco-tourism opportunities like scenic swimming, sunbathing, boating, and fishing along the waters, and glimpses of local wildlife and birding around.
Fenton Lake, Sandoval County
At an elevation of 2,331 meters, the beautiful lake is one of the most picturesque in the whole nation, thanks to its scenic location amid the Yemez Mountains. The surrounding scenery of the spectacular Fenton Lake State Park calls for camping and scenic hikes for all the active. Enjoy strolls along the shore, hiking through the foothills, rock climbing, and tempting peaks for the most avid.
Beauty comes in small packages too, as this scenic mountain lake of only 37 acres is great for canoeing and enjoying all kinds of adventures on a getaway from the city. Fenton Lake is also a popular fishing destination and open year-round to feast on all the sights while ice fishing or cross-country skiing in the area around. The onsite playground offers a safe outlet for kids to go monkey while adults enjoy a swim or gather over a picnic.
Heron Lake, Rio Arriba County
Some two hours north of Santa Fe, the picturesque 2,400-hectare Heron Lake sits at an elevation of 2,190 meters within the Rio Chama Gorge. Set near the border, it is a popular destination for weekenders from the northern part of the state and Colorado. The designated "quiet lake," surrounded by a tall pine forest, is wonderful for zen retreats in nature, ecotourism, and mindful activities like camping and hiking. It is also popular amongst sailors, windsurfers, and paddle boaters, as well as many anglers who reel in plenty of trout and salmon against the phenomenal backdrop of the Brazos Cliffs.
If you are a boater, you have to cruise at no-wake speeds, which makes it a great spot for fellow swimmers, kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders, and people wishing to hear little more than the bird calls as they relax along the shores. Enjoy summertime hikes with wildlife sightings like mountain lions, black bears, elk, deer, and bald eagles, while in the winter you can ice fish or cross-country ski around the lake. The Heron Lake State Park along the lake’s southern shore offers 200 camping sites, picnic areas, and boat ramps, while the lake is connected to the Rio Chama and El Vado lakes with more campgrounds and hiking trails.
Caballo Lake, Sierra County
Find the beautiful 4,500-hectare Caballo Lake in the Rio Grande region of Sierra County, in the southern part of the state. Tourists and locals flock to the lake's refreshing waters for fun recreational pursuits and relaxation along the beautiful banks, with the clear surface reflecting the Caballo Mountains at the eastern edge. Make a day at the lake of swimming, water skiing, windsurfing, and boating against the majestic backdrop.
Caballo Lake is great for fishing, where you can easily reel in walleye, bass, crappie, and bluegill, as well as being popular among birdwatchers, with many migratory birds making a pitstop at the attractive oasis, much like the tourists. Caballo Lake State Park on its southwest corner is great for camping along the water, where you can spend days exploring and nights under the starry skies with only a few birdcalls to disturb your pure zen state of mind. Lake Caballo is a truly beautiful body of water that inspires relaxing swims in the tranquil waters and scenic sun baths.
Visit one of these drop-dead gorgeous lakes amid breathtaking scenery you can take in from all angles and at various elevation points through recreational pursuits and activities. Seek out a mountainous setting or a vivid hallucination of a refreshing oasis amid a barren desert that is real. Enjoy year-round recreational pursuits, from swimming and sunbathing to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Enjoy pleasant-weather scenic hikes through the state parks in all transitional seasons.
You will love complete immersion in nature on overnight camping trips, where you can wake up at sunrise for a refreshing dip. Enjoy shaded trail hikes and return for the tranquility along the beach strips with only the breeze and bird calls to immerse and never want to leave the too-good-to-be-true locale.
