Navajo Lake State Park•New Mexico

00:00     Title
00:15     Navajo Lake New Mexico State Park  
07:10     Navajo Colorado State Park  
11:00     Fin  
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Navajo Lake is often compared to Lake Powell, because length of the shoreline is similar and both lakes are in high desert environments. The shoreline of the Navajo Lake Reservoir follows the outline of high mesa canyons that were partially submerged after the dam was constructed. Sparse juniper and piñon forests dot the landscape and the green colors are easy on the eyes. There are literally countless coves to explore by boat and there are land based access points. Several creeks feed Navajo Lake and the main source of water is the San Juan River. After passing the Navajo Dam, the San Juan River runs nearly 200 miles west, where it merges with the Colorado River in Lake Powell. 

Navajo Lake covers so much ground, that it straddles the border of Colorado and New Mexico. The entire lake is managed by both Colorado and New Mexico as two separate state parks on either side of the border. The Colorado side is the shallow end of the pool and the deep end is near Navajo Dam in New Mexico. When the lake is full after a heavy winter snow melt, nearly all of the Colorado side is navigable, while after a season of drought, the shoreline in the north part of the lake will greatly recede. On the New Mexico side, the waterline fluctuates vertically on the steep walls of the mesas. Because this is the deep end of the big pool, it is nearly always navigable.

The best way to get to Navajo State Park is to come from the direction of Aztec, New Mexico and there are some points of interest along this travel route. Navajo Dam Road first goes by a motocross park that is worth checking out if you happen to have a dirt bike in tow. A little further down the line, the forests become thick and the towering sandstone outcrops leer over the green canopy. The scenery looks surreal in these parts and there are many hoodoos and mushroom rocks to be seen.

Eventually Navajo Dam Road meets the San Juan River a few miles downstream from the lake. The road then follows the river to the Navajo Dam and there are many state park day use picnic areas, campgrounds and boat launch ramps. There is a gas station, boatyard, boat rentals, a classic Route 66 era motel and a few bait shacks in this area. The tall cottonwood trees by the river provide plenty of shade for a lazy summer afternoon picnic and the river sport fishing is good. The views of the lush green San Juan River basin are as picturesque as can be, so this section of Navajo State Park certainly can be a summertime paradise of its own.

After getting to the historic Navajo Dam, it is just a short uphill climb to Navajo Lake. When the deep blue water is first seen, it is enough to make the jaw drop in awe! This blue lake definitely enhances the contrasting colors of the piñon tree dotted sandstone mesas and the skies are vivid. The views from Navajo Dam will reveal the big marina and the main section of this state park. The marina area offers lakeside camping, RV hookups, boat docks and launches. Rentals are also available, so anybody can join in on the fun.

For those who seek pristine landscapes, there is a downside to the river section. Nearly all of the surrounding BLM territory is covered with gas fracking wells and transfer stations, so if you have environmental concerns, the views may be disturbing. The gas fracking industry has a track record of poison gas leaks in this area, so it does stink like an oil refinery at times. No effort was made to blend the fracking infrastructure in with the landscape, so it truly is an eyesore.

The New Mexico side of Navajo Lake definitely is the deep end of the pool and the shoreline truly is amazing to see. Navajo Lake is a perfect destination for house boaters and water skiing is the primary aquatic sport. Spring season winds are steady and strong, so this is also a prime time sailboarding destination. Navajo Lake New Mexico State Park offers cool relief from the extreme heat of summer and this is more than reason enough to do the trip!