New Mexico is officially known as the Land of Enchantment, thanks to its mix of vibrant cities like Albuquerque along with dramatic desert and mountain landscapes. And while New Mexico’s federally protected places like White Sands National Park and Bandelier National Monument might have more name recognition, you can find some incredible beauty in one of New Mexico’s 35 state parks. Just look at Heron Lake State Park in northern New Mexico. It’s a designated “quiet lake,” since boats can’t go fast enough to leave a wake, which helps make for a relaxing getaway. This lake is an ideal place for all kinds of outdoor recreation, including fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, and stargazing.

The park is near the Colorado border, about 2 hours and 45 minutes north of Albuquerque and a little under 2 hours from Taos. It’s a relatively new lake; the dam was built in 1971 on Willow Creek as a part of the San Juan-Chama Project. This pretty lake sits at 7,167 feet, and it’s surrounded by pine forest.

Heron Lake is popular for fishing year round, including ice fishing in the winter, and it holds the record as the location for the largest lake trout caught in the state. It’s also good for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Make sure to check all regulations for what’s in season, and get a state fishing license before you go.

Read more: Think Twice Before Swimming In These Dangerous US Lakes

Boating and hiking at New Mexico’s Heron Lake State Park

While boats are required to go slow enough that they don’t leave a wake at Heron Lake State Park, you can still get out on the water. It’ll just be a calmer experience than at many other lakes. There are a couple of boat docks and a marina, so it’s easy to launch a kayak, paddleboard, or a sail boat, and there’s miles of peaceful shoreline to explore. There are also areas for swimming. It can get hot here in summer, so a dip in the lake is a great way to cool off.

If getting out on the trail is more your thing, you can put your hiking shoes to good use at Heron Lake State Park. The Salmon Run Trail is 5 miles long one way, and it runs along the south side of the lake. It’s open for hiking as well as mountain biking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. The East Meadow Trail takes you about 2.5 miles one way from the Visitor Center to a lake overlook. You can even get to the neighboring El Vado State Park via the Rio Chama Trail. It’s a 5.5 mile one-way trail that takes hikers through the ponderosa pine forest and across a suspension bridge over the Rio Chama Gorge.

Birdwatching and camping at Heron Lake State Park

While you might guess that Heron Lake State Park got its name from the bird, it was actually named after Kenneth A. Heron, a New Mexico engineer. But even though its name came from a person, it’s still a good place for bird watching: bald eagles, snow geese, white faced ibises, American avocets, and more all make their home here for at least a part of the year. Other wildlife that you might find here include black bears, so be bear aware when you’re hiking and camping. 

If you have the gear for a camping trip, it’s well worth staying the night, in part because the star gazing here is fantastic. It’s more than an hour away from a major city, so there’s not much light pollution, and its higher elevation often means there are clearer skies.

The park has nearly 200 campsites spread across eight different campgrounds, including some electric sites for RVs. There are also showers and restrooms. If you’d rather rough it, there are also three primitive camping areas. 

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Read the original article on Islands.

DEMING, N.M. — New Mexico State Police are investigating a shooting involving the U.S. Marshals Service that happened Thursday in Deming.

Police have an active presence near the 200 block of Cedar Street. They’re asking you to avoid the area “until further notice.”

Details are limited. However, State Police will share more information once it becomes available.

A federal grand jury in Lubbock has indicted 14 people accused of stealing crude oil in eastern New Mexico and hauling it into Texas to resell at cut‑rate prices.

Prosecutors say the scheme targeted the Permian Basin’s vast production network, the oil‑rich region spanning southeastern New Mexico and West Texas that covers more than 86,000 square miles and accounts for the majority of U.S. crude oil production.

All 14 defendants are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines, and several also face counts of interstate transportation and receipt, possession, or sale of stolen property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

Indictment outlines alleged operation 

Returned April 8, the indictment alleges the group stole crude oil in eastern New Mexico, some stored on U.S. government-leased land, and resold it to co‑conspirators at prices below the standard U.S. market benchmark.

Prosecutors say the conspirators transported the stolen oil into Texas for resale at a profit, knowing it was stolen.

Texas, New Mexico defendants identified by prosecutors

Texas defendants are James Darrell Reid, 65, and Randell Wayne Reid, 41, owners of Texas-based Reidco Enterprises and both of Electra – about 25 miles northwest of Wichita Falls and 115 miles from Fort Worth – along with Christopher Frederick Harris, 22, of Seminole, about 80 miles west of Midland.

The remaining 11 defendants are from Lovington, a southeastern New Mexico community of about 11,690 people, roughly 20 miles west of the Texas state line and squarely inside the Permian Basin.

They include:

• Louis George Edgett, 68;
• Brenden Floyd Strickland, 25;
• Sixto Herrera-Estebane, 43;
• Gyardo Gonzalez, 47;
• Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja, 51;
• Diana Marquez Rojo, 45;
• Jose Luis Rojo, 49;
• Jose Mario Rivas-Mendoza, 37;
• Miguel A. Soto, 41;
• Tavares Montrail Cole, 48; and
• Danny Dale Brown Jr., 42.

Potential penalties outlined by DOJ 

According to prosecutors, the defendants face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and up to 10 years per count for interstate transportation, possession, or sale of stolen property.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Land Management, the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Division, and sheriff’s offices in Lea and Eddy counties in New Mexico.

CBS News Texas will provide updates as additional information becomes available.