El Vado Lake State Park

Tucked into the pine-covered hills of Rio Arriba County, El Vado Lake State Park stretches across 1,730 acres of northern New Mexico high country where the Chama River was dammed to create a long, narrow reservoir. The lake sits at roughly 6,900 feet elevation, making it a cool retreat from the desert heat that blankets much of the state during summer months.

El Vado Lake is a favorite among anglers chasing kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass. The reservoir’s quieter character — compared to neighboring Heron Lake just a few miles north — also makes it popular for waterskiing, jet skiing, and tubing. A canal connects the two lakes, and paddlers sometimes make the trip between them for a full day on the water.

The park offers developed campgrounds with electric hookups along the lakeshore, plus more primitive sites for those who prefer a simpler setup. Several boat ramps provide easy water access, and the surrounding hillsides of ponderosa pine and juniper offer solid hiking terrain with views across the water to the distant Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Wildlife is abundant here — mule deer, elk, and bald eagles are common sights, especially during the quieter fall and spring seasons. Summer weekends draw the biggest crowds, but September and October bring golden aspens, fewer visitors, and some of the best fishing of the year.

El Vado rewards visitors who make the drive into this less-traveled corner of New Mexico.

Explore Nearby

• Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area — Public Land in New Mexico
• Carson National Forest — National Forest in New Mexico
• Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River — Public Land in New Mexico
• Santa Fe National Forest — National Forest in New Mexico
• Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway — Scenic Byway in New Mexico