Navajo Lake , New Mexico

In northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado is Navajo Lake , billed in Colorado as its answer to the mighty Lake Powell and known in New Mexico as the state's largest lake. The dam and most of the 15,590-acre lake is on the New Mexico side where Navajo Lake State Park offers a visitors center, marina, sailing, playgrounds, restrooms and showers. Camping facilities include 251 developed sites, many with electric hookup. The park is near some of the earliest settlements in the Southwest including Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the Aztec and Salmon ruins.

Depths to: 100 feet (30 m)

Visibility: 15 feet (5 m)

Water temperature: Ranges from the 40s Fahrenheit (5-9 degrees Celsius) in the winter to 75 F (24 C) in the summer.

Aquatic life: Catfish, crappie, kokanee salmon, northern pike, smallmouth bass and trout.

Fees: $5 daily pass and $55 annual pass

On-site amenities: Navajo State Park ( New Mexico side) offers all types of services including camping facilities.

More info: For the Colorado side, visit http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/Navajo or call
970-883-2208. For information about New Mexico , visit www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/navajo.htm or call (505) 632-2278.

Open: Year-round.

Getting there: From Colorado, take U.S. 160 west from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, for 17 miles, then turn southwest onto Colorado 151 for 18 miles to Arboles. Turn left again onto County Road 982 and drive two miles to the lake. From U.S. Highway 64 in northwest drive north 17 miles on New Mexico Route 539.