Heron Lake State Park

Heron Lake offers about 5,900 acres of water surface while Heron Lake State Park contains 4,100 acres of land. In contrast to nearby El Vado Lake State Park, Heron Lake is a designated "no-wake lake," meaning boats are required to move at slow speeds. So Heron Lake sees more sailboats, canoes, kayaks and windsurfers. The fishing is excellent, especially in the winter. Heron Lake State Park has several campgerounds scattered around the lake and is connected to El Vado Lake State Park by a 5.5-mile hiking trail along the Rio Chama, complete with a suspension footbridge.

Heron Lake State Park offers a visitor center, group picnic shelter and 250 developed campsites, 54 of which offer electric hookups. Each campground has restrooms and showers, the park also offers a centrally located RV dump station. The marina offers a "mast-up" sailboat storage facility. In additon to the camping and water sports, Heron Lake State Park offers picnicking, wildlife watching, winter sports and miles of hiking trails.

The entry gate at Heron Lake State Park is open 24 hours a day, every day. To get there: the park is off New Mexico Highway 95, about 11 miles west of Tierra Amarilla via US Highways 64/84 and NM 95.

Fees: Day-use: $5 per vehicle; Pedestrians and bicyclists get in free. Camping: Primitive sites: $8 per site per night. Developed sites: $10 per site per night. Developed site with either electric or sewer: $14 per site per night. Developed site with both electric and sewer: $18 per site per night. Water hookups aren't always available but when they are, they're free.