Bottomless Lakes State Parks - New Mexico
N 33° 20.077 W 104° 20.004
13S E 562035 N 3688582
Cowboys were unsuccessful in determining the depth of these lakes when tying boulders on their lassos and dropping them into the lake, creating legends that these lakes are bottomless.
Waymark Code: WMD18M
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2011
Views: 8
This park is home to nine lakes that were formed via the action of sinkhole formation. Contrary to the myth, the lakes are not bottomless, but have depths up to 90 feet. One of the lakes (Lea Lake, the deepest) is open for swimming, and paddleboats can be rented at the park also. One lake, called Devil's Inkwell, is 32 feet deep and has very steep sides leading to dark water that is the result of algae growth. Mirror Lake has 2 side-by-side lakes, one can support fish life while the other is too saline to support fish. Lazy Lagoon is in the middle of odorous, treacherous mud flats, which limits its use to viewing waterfowl and wildlife. The park offers recreational opportunities of camping, picnicing, fishing, boating, sailing, geology observation and wildlife viewing. A visitors center contains exhibits and displays.
Lake Name/ depth
Lea Lake 90 ft
Lazy Lagoon 90 ft
Devil's Inkwell 32 feet
Figure Eight Lake 37 feet
Pasture Lake 18 feet
Lost Lake - not provided by park website
Cottonwood Lake 30 ft
Mirror Lake 50 ft
Dimmit Lake - (private)
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The park is located along the Pecos River, southeast of Roswell about 15 miles. It was the first state park in New Mexico.
Bottomless Lakes State Park
HC 12, Box 1200
Roswell, NM 88201
Phone: (575) 624-6058
www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/bottomless.htm
Park Type: Overnight
Activities:
Picnicing, hiking, camping, trails, visitor center, wildlife viewing.
Background:
Four endangered species can be found in the park. The Pecos pupfish and the Rainwater Killifish are both endangered species of fish, and the Cricket Frog and the Eastern Barking Frog also live in the park.
The lakes were created in this area when the ancient limestone reef, percolated with water until caves formed underground (similar to the Carlsbad Caverns, 80 miles to the south)and the caves eventually collapsed, leaving behind these deep, circular lakes. The proper term form these lakes is "cenotes"
Date Established?: 1933
Link to Park: [Web Link]
Park Fees: Not listed
Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed
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