El Vado Lake State Park
Guide

Much of the lake’s southeastern shore is one long sandy beach. Furthermore, just south of the Beach Campground, there’s a cool area where sand dunes mix with lake water. But the best swimming area is probably next to the Day Use Area. This part of the lake is near the aforementioned huge earthen dam. The Day Use Area includes restrooms, picnic tables with barbecue grills, and a nice open area for pickup athletic games or high-altitude kite flying. No lifeguard is on duty, but the lake current isn’t terribly strong. So swim with a buddy, and you should be fine. You can also try your luck at scuba diving. The lake is definitely deep enough.

El Vado Lake is an excellent cold water fishery so make sure you pack your rod and reel in your camper or trailer. At this altitude, the water is pretty chilly except in high summer. Most anglers catch lots of largemouth bass, brown trout, bluegill, rainbow trout, and lake trout in the spring and early summer. In the late summer and fall, the salmon fishing is pretty good. In the winter, ice fishing is usually available, as this lake usually freezes over. But it’s 170 feet deep in parts, so always check with rangers about ice thickness.

The main boat launch is near the park office. It’s next to a huge parking lot, so it hardly ever backs up. There are some docking facilities here as well. A smaller boat launch is near the mouth of the Rio Chama. It’s closed during the summer and other low-water periods. El Vado Lake is not as large as nearby Heron Lake, but it’s almost as large and, as mentioned, there are no speed restrictions. So, waterskiing and personal watercraft are very popular here, especially in the more wide-open southern part of the lake. Sailors and paddlers usually stick to the more finger-like northern reaches of the lake. The current is pretty solid and there is usually plenty of wind. More adventurous kayakers might try the whitewater in Rio Chama.

At this altitude, and in this remote part of the Southwest, the skies are clear and dark on a moonless winter night. Lots of stargazing groups gather here, or you can just pick out a good spot and set up your telescope. WIth even a small scope, nearby celestial bodies, like the Moon and Mars, spring to life. With a larger telescope, you can see similar features on the faraway Gas Giants and interplanetary gas nebulae. All the while, comets and meteors streak across the sky. Altogether, it’s a very nice show.

Fall and winter is usually deer and other hunting season in El Vado Lake State Park. Both archery and firearms are allowed in designated areas. Check with park rangers about deer blinds. Waterfowl hunting is available in the northwest part of the lake, and pheasant hunting may be open elsewhere.

Get out of the campervan and onto the trail. The 5.5-mile Rio Chama Trail goes overland from El Vado Lake to Heron Lake. The trail is mostly rocky with some scraggly trees here and there. Hikers need special equipment, some experience, and lots of water and sunscreen. This trail is a great way to get up close to the fragile high desert ecosystem. During the winter, strap on your snowshoes and take on this trail or some of the shorter ones closer to El Vado Lake. There’s also a cross-country skiing course at this park, along with some very nice sledding hills with varying degrees of difficulty.