Welcome to the New Mexico Lakes Database — an independent guide to the lakes of the Land of Enchantment. In a high desert state, water is precious and unexpected, and New Mexico’s lakes are almost all reservoirs — built across the Rio Grande, the Pecos, the San Juan and the Canadian to store snowmelt, and now ringed by red rock, juniper and some surprisingly good fishing. From the vast Elephant Butte in the south to the cold, clear Navajo Lake on the Colorado line, with a scatter of true mountain lakes in the north, we’re writing a careful visitor guide to every lake worth the drive.
Whether you’re after striped bass on the state’s biggest reservoir, trophy trout below a tailwater dam, or a quiet high-country lake under the peaks, start here.
Start here: New Mexico lake guides
- Best Lakes in New Mexico — top lakes for fishing, scenery & boating
- Fishing in New Mexico — trout, walleye, bass, kokanee & more
- San Juan River Trout — the world-class tailwater below Navajo Dam
- New Mexico Trout Lakes — the best mountain & stocked lakes
- NM Bass & Walleye Lakes — the best warmwater reservoirs
- NM State Park Lakes — camping, boating & fishing
How to use this guide
New Mexico’s lakes sort into two groups. The Largest Lakes of New Mexico are the major reservoirs — the big water with marinas, state parks and boat ramps. The Small Lakes of New Mexico covers the mountain lakes, the smaller impoundments, and the local fishing waters worth a detour. Within each, lakes are grouped by region — the Rio Grande corridor, the San Juan country of the northwest, the northeastern plains, and the high mountains.
Largest Lakes of New Mexico
Elephant Butte is the giant — the largest lake in New Mexico, a 36,000-acre reservoir on the Rio Grande and the state’s busiest water for boating and bass. Navajo Lake, on the San Juan, holds cold, clear water and feeds one of the finest trout tailwaters in the West. Conchas and Ute lakes spread across the eastern plains, while Cochiti, Abiquiu, Heron and El Vado store the rivers of the north. Browse them all on the Largest Lakes of New Mexico page.
Small Lakes of New Mexico
The small lakes are where New Mexico surprises you. The mountain lakes of the north — Eagle Nest, Fenton, the high Pecos waters — hold trout under the peaks, while desert gems like Santa Rosa’s Blue Hole and dozens of Game & Fish managed lakes offer year-round fishing close to the highways. Most have public access, and many sit within state parks with camping. See them all on the Small Lakes of New Mexico page.
The New Mexico Lakes Database is growing. Every guide is researched and written for people first — real fishing intel, honest access notes, and the stories behind each lake. Browse by Largest Lakes or Small Lakes, pick a region, and go find some water.