We stayed at Elephant Butte Lake State Park for several days. This state Park is located in South Central New Mexico in the town of Elephant Butte. The water levels are down to just 3% capacity according to the Las Cruces News. This resevior is part of the Rio Grande Project, to supply power and irrigation to Southern New Mexico and Western Texas. When built in 1916 it was the largest man-made lake in the world! Over the past few decades, southwestern states like New Mexico have on average experienced warmer temperatures, earlier springs and less snowpack in the mountains. There is no end insight for this trend in lower water levels.
The park is beautiful and has three sections of campgrounds, we stayed in Lion’s Beach. The site was level once you were in it, but it was a test of our skills backing uphill! We had hoped to kayak and hang at the beach, but the winds in NM in April are unbelievable with mornings about 8 mph and afternoons about 18 gusting to 30 mph. You could watch the sand blow around the beach and water!
We took a side trip to Hatch New Mexico, known as the “Chile Capital of the World”! It is a very small town with many shops with a variety of Chile products. The “famous” restaurant in town, is Sparky’s, known for their green Chile Cheeseburger! Of course we had to have one for lunch; delicious!
We enjoyed Elephant Butte and would definitely go back, but the water levels are very disturbing with no end in site.
