New Mexico
New Mexico’s Glorious ‘Quiet Lake’ Is A Serene State Park Escape With Stellar Fishing And Camping – AOL
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
Kayaker paddling on Heron Lake State Park in New Mexico – VisitNewMexico/YouTube
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
Camper at Heron Lake State Park – Swifty Travels/YouTube
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.
New Mexico
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Seniors at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center say broken air conditioning has left the gym above 80 degrees during peak summer heat.
Angi Gonzales Carver said she goes to the center almost every day and now worries the heat could cancel classes for seniors, adults and kids.
The city said three HVAC roof units at the center need replacement. The city said those units are 20 years old and crews have put in one portable cooler and two fans for now.
“I have a temperature measure, and it was 88 and that was without people,” said Angi Gonzales Carver.
Carver says the center recently posted a warning sign saying staff will cancel classes and activities if the gym gets hotter than 78 degrees.
“A lot of them have to sit down and they’re they’re fanning themselves,” said Carver.
The city considers all multigenerational centers cooling centers, including Manzano Mesa. The city says it plans to add two more portable units next week while it works to restore the air conditioning.
“I mean, we, as seniors, we deserve better,” said Carver.
The City’s statement
A city spokesperson gave the following statement regarding the HVAC situation:
“The City is carrying out a planned replacement of the three HVAC roof units at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, which are 20 years old. Portable cooling units support the gym and two additional portable units will be installed next week. All other areas of the facility remain fully air-conditioned and operational.”
Acres: 7,769 acres
Start Date: June 9, 2026
Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM
Personnel: 169
Containment: 100%
Cause: Lightning
Summary: Containment lines are holding, and much of the repair work is completed on the Bear Fire. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team will transfer command of the fire back to the Gila National Forest and a Type 4 Incident Commander on Wednesday morning. Firefighters will continue to patrol and secure the perimeter while repair is completed.
Remarking on the success of firefighters on the Bear Fire, Incident Commander Marcus Cornwell said, “The support from the State of New Mexico Forestry Division, local landowners, and the Village of Quemado were instrumental in helping suppress the fire. Providing firefighters access to private land and use of Quemado High School proved pivotal.”
This will be the last daily update provided by the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team. Any future updates for the Bear Fire will come from the Gila National Forest.
Weather: Today’s high temperature will be in the mid 80s. Moisture moving in from the south will improve relative humidity and drop temperatures slightly. The forecast shows daily chances of thunderstorms through Friday.
Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place through this evening. If you fly, we can’t! The Gila National Forest enacted an Area Closure Order for the Bear Fire.
Evacuations: Catron County Emergency Management lifted SET status for residences within zones 2, 3 and 4 on Thursday, June 18th. For more information about the change in evacuation status, visit Catron County Emergency Management.
Smoke: Smoke may be visible in and around surrounding communities. Air quality will vary based on fire activity, weather, and wind patterns. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activity when smoke is present and check the Air Quality Index before recreating or working outdoors. Sensitive groups should take extra precautions to limit smoke exposure. For real-time smoke conditions, visit https://fire.airnow.gov.
Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and in Catron County Fire District 30.
Public Information: 2026.bear@firenet.gov
Incident Information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-bear-fire
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