Clayton Lake State Park

About Clayton Lake State Park

The park is an oasis in the rolling grasslands of northeastern New Mexico. Get a unique glimpse of the past when you explore one of the most extensive dinosaur track-ways in North America and a close-up look at the stars at the Lake Observatory. The overlook at the end of the Clayton Lake Dam provides a large-scale view of over 800 dinosaur footprint tracks exposed on the spillway. An elevated walkway on the spillway allows close up views of the tracks, but is not a handicap accessible trail. During the fishing season (which usually runs from March to October each year) the lake is a popular spot for anglers hoping to catch trout, catfish, bass, and walleye. Boats are allowed on the lake, but are restricted to trolling speeds. The lake is closed to fishing during the winter, when it serves as a stopover for waterfowl. Clayton Lake State Park offers visitor center, camping, allows horseback riding (in designated areas), showers, group shelters, electric hookups, restrooms, boat ramps, fishing, trails, and RV pull through sites. Park Elevation 5,186 ft Make a reservation on the New Mexico State Parks reservation website.

How to Get There

141 Clayton Lake Road Clayton, NM 88415 Make a reservation on the New Mexico State Parks reservation website.

Plan Your Visit to Clayton Lake State Park

Heading to Clayton Lake State Park? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)