New Mexico's State Park Brimming With Wildlife Is A Tucked-Away Haven To Camp, Hike, And Fish

While New Mexico has numerous diverse landscapes with stunning vistas to choose from, including the nature enthusiast's dream of Sugarite Canyon State Park (just 72 miles away), the Eagle Nest Lake State Park definitely ranks high on the list. The state park, located in the Moreno Valley, is 8,200 feet above sea level and has spectacular mountain views. This alpine park has everything you could ask for: hiking, fishing, boating, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, and (perhaps most importantly) a serene haven where you just relax and breathe. While both Angel Fire (11 miles away) and Taos (40 miles away) have regional airports, visitors wanting a larger airport can fly into Albuquerque International Sunport (164 miles away).

Eagle Nest Lake, routinely stocked with salmon and trout, covers 2,400 acres and offers amazing year-round fishing opportunities. Summer is the perfect time to fish for smallmouth bass, sunfish, northern pike, and yellow perch. January through March is the best time to do some ice fishing; kokanee salmon and trout (rainbow and cutthroat) are commonly caught during the winter months. Eagle Nest Lake is home to an annual ice-fishing tournament (held the last Saturday of January) as well as the annual Fish Fest and Pike Round Up (typically scheduled for late September). 

Birdwatching is a popular activity at the park; guests have spotted ospreys, bald eagles, hawks, herons, pelicans, waterfowl (ducks and geese), and songbirds (finches, sparrows, and warblers). The patio at the visitor center, which has a stunning view of Touch Me Not Mountain, is a great spot to look for birds that call the lake home. Birds aren't the only wildlife living in the park; visitors often see bears, elk, foxes, marmots, coyotes, deer, and prairie dogs. Bring your binoculars and perhaps you will spot a cougar or bighorn sheep. 

The best way to get the most out of your trip to Eagle Nest Lake State Park is to do some camping; it allows you more time to explore all that the lake and the park have to offer. Bring your camera and capture your own postcard-worthy pictures of the scenery, the wildlife, and the beautiful wildflowers. Enjoy the dark night sky perfect for stargazing, or attend cultural events and festivals; the park has a calendar filled with amazing activities. The park's pet-friendly campground is open all year long and has 19 campsites suitable for tents or RVs (both back-in and pull-through, 50-to-100-foot-long sites). Most of the lakeside campsites are available on a "first-come, first-served" basis; however, six of the sites are able to be reserved as far as six months in advance. Visitors are encouraged to make reservations for busier times, such as summer and weekends.  

While you might not get to hike to the highest point in New Mexico while exploring Eagle Nest Lake State Park, there is an amazing hiking trail to explore. The Lower Eagle Nest Lake Trail takes visitors past Eagle Nest Lake and Moreno Creek; trailheads are located at the Moreno Day Use area or the visitor center. The trail is 5.5-miles long, has an elevation gain of 82 feet, and is considered an easy out-and-back hike. However, it is important to note a couple of important things: the trail runs through an unshaded open meadow; it is at a high elevation, and one-third of the trail isn't well maintained or properly marked, making it easy to lose the trail. The good news is that since the trail is in a wide-open space, it is difficult to get lost.

The Enchanted Circle scenic drive is a must-do activity while in the Eagle Nest area; the drive is stunning year-round, but it is particularly spectacular during the fall when the leaves are changing colors. Stretching 84 miles through northern New Mexico, travelers will see the best landscapes and postcard-worthy scenic views that The Land of Enchantment has to offer. In less than 100 miles, visitors will see mesas, valleys, mountains (including the tallest mountain in the state, Wheeler Peak), and Carson National Forest. The scenic byway has numerous places to get off the road and have a closer look at the gorgeous landscapes. 

Visitors will have the chance to stop and explore several towns and villages (such as Red River, Eagle Nest, and Questa) while enjoying the scenic byway. Taos, the largest of the communities found in the Enchanted Circle, gives visitors a chance to see the town and surrounding area from a unique viewpoint. Guests can take to the skies in a hot air balloon, soaring high above the ancient rock formations and Rio Grande Gorge; don't pass on this chance to see Taos in a new way. While in Taos, be sure to visit the enchanting 1,000-year-old Taos Pueblo. The multi-story adobe homes of the Pueblo, which have been designated as a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have been inhabited by Native Americans for more than 1,000 years. 

Angel Fire, known as a winter wonderland, is also home to a Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The chapel, which served as the inspiration for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.,  was the first major memorial to pay tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War. The memorial encompasses 6,000 acres and has added a museum and visitor center.