National Parks:
Carlsbad Caverns National Park,
Chaco National Historical Park,
Pecos National Historical Park
State Parks:
Bluewater Lake,
Bottomless Lakes,
Brantley Lake,
Caballo Lake,
Cimarron Canyon,
City of Rocks,
Clayton Lake,
Conchas Lake,
Coyote Creek,
Eagle Nest Lake,
Elephant Butte Lake,
El Vado Lake,
Fenton Lake,
Heron Lake,
Hyde Memorial,
Leasburg Dam,
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens,
Manzano Mountains,
Mesilla Valley Bosque,
Morphy Lake,
Navajo Lake,
Oasis,
Oliver Lee Memorial,
Pancho Villa,
Percha Dam,
Rio Grande Nature Center,
Rockhound,
Santa Rosa Lake,
Storrie Lake,
Sugarite Canyon,
Ute Lake,
Vietnam Veterans Memorial,
Villanueva
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
The largest and most popular lake in New Mexico, Elephant Butte Lake State Park provides a setting for every imaginable water sport. A wide variety of water sports are available at the lake, with fishing being one of the most popular. The mild climate of the area make this park a popular year-round destination.The visitor center offers regional interpretive exhibits. The mild climate of the area makes this park a popular year-round destination.
The name "Elephant Butte" was derived from the eroded core of an ancient volcano, now an island in the reservoir, in the shape of an elephant. Elephant Butte Reservoir, created by a dam constructed in 1916 across the Rio Grande, is 40 miles long with more than 200 miles of shoreline. Although constructed to provide for irrigation and flood control, the lake is New Mexico’s premier water recreation facility.
Over 100 million years ago, the area was part of a vast shallow ocean. Once the sea receded, the area was the favorite hunting ground of the tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur. Evidence of the Rex, the largest land-dwelling predator of all time, and other species of dinosaur have been discovered in area rock formations.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
P.O. Box 13
Elephant Butte, NM 87935
Phone (575) 744-5923
www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/elephant.htm
Request
Request the 2008 Vacation Guide
View the 2008 Vacation Guide online
Sign up for our Monthly E-Newsletter
Calendar of Events
New Mexico Business Links
Maps
Regions & Cities
click on map
