New Mexico State Parks

New Mexico has over 30 State Parks. The parks offer camping sites, bird watching, walking trails, hiking and cross-country skiing. You will see rolling hills, beautiful lakes, rivers, bluffs, mountains and wildlife.

The first state park in New Mexico was the Bottomless Lakes State Park. This park was established in 1933 and is located on the Pecos River. Even though the name is Bottomless Lakes the lakes are only seventeen to ninety feet deep.

The park has four different lakes. There is Cottonwood Lake, which is thirty feet deep. Nearby is Mirror Lake, which is fifty feet deep and it is the home the Pecos pupfish and the rainwater killifish. The Devil’s Inkwell is another lake and it has rainbow trout in it. Lea Lake is the largest lake and the only lake where you can swim or do other water sports. Lea Lake is also spring-fed.

The Poncho Villa State Park is on the border with Mexico. It has extensive historical exhibits on the raid on Columbus, New Mexico in 1916. The park also has walking trails that wind through the thirty different kinds of cacti with vibrant blooms.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is located in Angel Fire in northeastern New Mexico. The Westphall family started the memorial after they lost their son in the Vietnam War. They used their son’s insurance to build Peace and Brotherhood Chapel, which is surrounded by white stone that is shaped like a pyramid. The park is a moving tribute to our nation’s military men and women.

The Brantley Lake State Park is New Mexico’s newest state park. It is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeastern New Mexico. The park has hiking trails and has great places to fish.