Bottomless Lakes State Park

We spent one night here in March 2026, on our drive from Austin back to Colorado in March 2026. We were in site 23 in the Lea Lake electric loop and paid about $40 for the night. Our full field report is still being written, so here is what to know about the place itself.

The short version

Bottomless Lakes State Park sits southeast of Roswell on the eastern edge of the Pecos River valley. New Mexico State Parks describes it as a chain of eight lakes that are actually sinkholes, ranging from 17 to 90 feet deep.

A little history

• According to the New Mexico Bureau of Geology, cowboys who tied ropes together and still could not reach the bottom reportedly gave the lakes their name. The blue-green color from algae and aquatic plants adds to the illusion of depth.
• The area became a state monument in 1933 and, in 1935, the first area in New Mexico set aside as a state park.
• The Civilian Conservation Corps built most of the original facilities.

What it is known for

• The lakes are cenotes: steep-walled sinkholes that reach below the water table, formed where underground water dissolved gypsum and other rock and cave roofs collapsed.
• Swimming, scuba diving and non-motorized boating, with pedal boat and paddleboard rentals from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
• About four and a half miles of trails, including a mountain bike trail, the Bluff Trail and the Wetlands Trail.
• Birding, with wildlife viewing blinds.

Camping

• Lea Lake Campground has 32 sites with hookups: 6 full hookup sites and 26 with water and electric.
• There is an RV dump station, plus restrooms with showers.
• The Lower Lakes area has 10 developed campsites with vault toilets.

Good to know

• Fishing is not allowed at Lea Lake or its day use area. It is allowed only at Devil's Inkwell and Pasture Lake, under New Mexico Game and Fish rules.
• Some restrooms and outdoor showers at Lea Lake close seasonally. Check park alerts before you go.