Heron Lake State Park

One Of The Highlights Of This New Mexico State Park Is A Superb Trail Across The Gorge Of The Rio Chama

On the southern shore of a 5,900 acre reservoir is Heron Lake State Park. Located in Rio Arriba County, in the northern part of New Mexico, the park covers 4,100 acres of land wooded with tall Ponderosa pine trees.

The reservoir is called Lake Heron and was created by the construction of a huge dam 263 feet high and 1,250 feet long across Willow Creek which is a tributary of the Rio Chama.

The dam created a lake which is about four miles long and three miles wide. The lake, dam and state park all get their name from an early 20th century engineer called Kenneth A. Heron. He had the vision of creating a way of transferring much needed water from the northern part of New Mexico to the more arid regions in the south of the state.

The Northern Edge Of The Rio Chama Gorge With Heron Lake Behind

The water is obviously the main attraction at Heron Lake and sailing, canoeing and kayaking are all popular pasttimes. The lake has a "no-wake" policy and "no gasoline-powered" boats are permitted. As well as these watersports this New Mexico State Park is a renowned fishing destination with Kokanee Salmon and Lake Trout providing good sport.

Set in a very scenic location, the countryside around Heron Lake State Park makes for some great hiking. There is a superb 5.5 mile trail which starts close to the Heron Dam and crosses the gorge of the Rio Chama by way of a suspension footbridge. It then takes the hiker through some lovely pine forested terrain before arriving at the nearby El Vado Lake State Park.

There are two other wonderful trails at this New Mexico State Park. The first is called the Salmon Run Trail and is five miles long. The other is the East Meadow Trail and is just over two miles long. As the park is open all year round these trails are used by cross country skiers during the winter and the lake when frozen over becomes a popular spot for ice fishing.

Summary Of Facilities
Visitor Center
250 Campsites
Developed Campground
54 Sites with electric hookups
Primitive Campground
Group Campground
(All grounds have disabled facilities)
Group Shelter
Restrooms
Showers
5,900 acre lake
Marina
3 Boat ramps

Summary Of Activities
Camping
Sailing
Canoeing
Kayaking
Windsurfing
Hiking
Fishing
Ice fishing
Cross Country Skiing
Picnicking

Contact Details
Heron Lake S.P.
P.O. Box 159
Los Ojos
New Mexico 87551

GPS -36.408292N 106.41306132W

Telephone -(575)588-7470

Reservations - 1-877-664-7787

Here is the position of Heron Lake State Park on a county map of New Mexico -

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