Santa Fe sits high in the Sangre de Cristo foothills with no lake of its own – but several scenic reservoirs and trout lakes lie within an easy drive, from a close no-wake lake on the Rio Grande to red-rock canyon waters and high-country trout. This guide rounds up the best lakes near Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranked by drive time. Each links to our full lake guide. This page is part of our New Mexico Lakes Database.
Best lakes near Santa Fe, by drive time
- Santa Cruz Lake (~40 min N). A scenic BLM trout lake in a red-rock canyon near Chimayo, with stocked rainbow trout, camping and trails – the closest trout fishing to the city.
- Cochiti Lake (~50 min SW). The nearest big lake, a no-wake Corps reservoir on the Rio Grande ideal for sailing, paddling and bass, catfish and pike fishing.
- Abiquiu Lake (~1.25 hr NW). A big, scenic Rio Chama reservoir in Georgia O’Keeffe country, with bass, catfish, trout and dramatic mesa scenery.
- Storrie Lake (~1 hr E). A breezy state-park lake near Las Vegas, New Mexico, stocked with trout and a favorite for windsurfing and boating.
- Morphy Lake (~1.5 hr NE). A tiny, remote high-country trout lake on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness near Mora, for anglers who want solitude.
What to do on the lakes near Santa Fe
For trout close to the city, Santa Cruz Lake is the quick pick, with camping and canyon scenery. For a full lake day – sailing, paddling, bass fishing – Cochiti Lake is the closest big water. Add Abiquiu for big-reservoir scenery, Storrie for windsurfing and stocked trout, and remote Morphy Lake for high-country solitude. A New Mexico fishing license is required at all of them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a lake in Santa Fe?
Santa Fe has no large lake of its own, but Santa Cruz Lake is about 40 minutes north and Cochiti Lake about 50 minutes southwest.
What is the closest lake to Santa Fe?
Santa Cruz Lake, a BLM trout lake near Chimayo about 40 minutes north, is the closest, with Cochiti Lake the nearest big reservoir.
Where can you trout fish near Santa Fe?
Santa Cruz Lake and Storrie Lake are the closest stocked trout lakes, with remote Morphy Lake offering high-country trout fishing near Mora.
Related: see the lakes near Albuquerque, the best lakes in New Mexico, or head back to the New Mexico Lakes Database.
