Elephant Butte Reservoir

Quick Facts

New Mexico

(575) 744-5923

Map Directions

Things To Do

Overview

Imagine an ancient volcano, now an island in the reservoir, in the shape of an elephant! Elephant Butte Reservoir, created by a dam constructed in 1916 across the Rio Grande, is 40-miles long with more than 200-miles of shoreline. The surrounding Elephant Butte Lake State Park provides camping, boating, water-skiing, swimming, fishing, hiking and bird watching. The visitor center offers regional information and interpretive exhibits. Southern New Mexico's mild climate makes this park a popular year-round destination.

Map of Elephant Butte Reservoir

Latitude, Longitude: 33.182100, -107.204933

Boating
Elephant Butte Reservoir provides a setting for every imaginable water sport, including boating and canoeing. The lake has sandy beaches, quiet little coves, full-service marinas, and enough open water for cabin cruisers and houseboats.
Camping
The Elephant Butte Lake State Park has numerous camping areas, with more than 250 developed campsites and 150 electrical hook-ups for RV's and trailers. Many campsites have shelters and grills. Reservations are also available in developed sites and beach reservation areas. For more information, call 1-877-NM-4-RSVP.
Fishing
Elephant Butte Reservoir is 35-miles long with more than 200-miles of shoreline. Sandy beaches and quiet little coves make fishing a very popular sport.
Hiking
Trails are available.
Picnicking
The park has numerous picnicking areas, with many campsites having shelters and grills.
Water Sports
The largest and most popular lake in New Mexico, Elephant Butte Reservoir and State Park provides a setting for every imaginable water sport, including boating, water-skiing, fishing, scuba diving, and canoeing.