New Mexico doesn't scream 'lake holiday' — it's landlocked, desert-heavy, and better known for adobe towns and chili than for beaches. But in the state's northwest corner, near Farmington, sits Navajo Lake, a reservoir of genuinely blue water that's become one of the Southwest's favourite spots for swimming, boating and fishing.
The numbers are impressive. Navajo Lake plunges more than 380 feet, making it the deepest inland lake in New Mexico — considerably deeper than the famously named Bottomless Lakes near Roswell, which max out around 90 feet. It's also the state's second-largest lake, covering 15,000 surface acres at an elevation of roughly 6,000 feet. The San Juan River feeds it from Colorado, and part of its northern end actually crosses the state line into Colorado's own Navajo State Park.
Most of the lake sits inside Navajo Lake State Park, one of 35 state parks in New Mexico and a busy one: more than 650,000 visitors a year. On the water, you can swim, wakeboard, windsurf, kayak or jet ski. Anglers are especially well served — the San Juan River below the dam is a world-class trout fishery drawing fly-fishers from around the globe, and the lake itself holds rainbow and brown trout, Kokanee salmon, bass, catfish, crappie, perch, bluegill and northern pike. Two marinas rent fishing boats and pontoon cruisers; there's even a 36-foot 'Fun Ship' with waterslides, a grill and a restroom, if you've got a big group and a full day to spare.
Off the water, the park caters to hikers and birders. Trails range from the easy mile-long Cottonwood Campground Nature Trail to the nearly seven-mile Navajo Lake Shoreline Trail. Birdwatchers might spot green-winged teal, cliff swallows, white-faced ibis or, with luck, a greater roadrunner or prairie falcon.
Camping is a big part of the appeal. The park has seven campgrounds with more than 240 sites, costing $20 to $45 a night, and adventurous types can pitch up in quieter spots along the shoreline or in the park's canyons. With New Mexico averaging around 280 days of sunshine a year, the lake works in almost any season, though summer weekends can get crowded — hence the appeal of getting out on a boat.
Getting there takes a bit of effort, which is part of why it stays uncrowded by comparison. From out of state, fly into Albuquerque and drive about 200 miles north. Travellers coming from Denver can instead fly into Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington, just an hour from the lake. If you're building a longer New Mexico trip, the otherworldly hiking area known as the Valley of Dreams is nearby and pairs well with a few days at the lake.
For anyone who assumes the Southwest is all dust and no dip, Navajo Lake is the counterargument: high elevation, deep blue water, serious fishing and a proper state park to base yourself in.
