Ramah Lake

Tall ponderosa pines and towering red sandstone cliffs surround Ramah Lake. The 100 acre, man-made lake is a serene, peaceful, extremely beautiful place for picnics, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.

The Mormon pioneers of Ramah Valley labored to build the earthen dam in 1894 for irrigation. During the latter part of the 19th century the valley's fields provided the entire potato crop for the city of Gallup. The dam failed twice, once in 1897 and again in 1905 because of heavy runoff during the spring thaws.

Special Conditions: Ramah lake is a no-wake lake (no whitewater off the bow or sides of the vessel. Use minimum speed necessary to maintain some forward motion) Bring Sunscreen and bug repellent (the bugs that make for good fishing). Water Levels are variable with lots of weedy vegetation at low levels. Launching may be a problem for any small motorized vessels.

DIRECTIONS:
2.5 miles northeast of Ramah, NM. From Highway 53 in Ramah, turn north on Bloomfield Road and follow it out of town, to a Ramah Lake road sign, where you turn right and follow the dirt road to the parking area.

Recreational Opportunities

Canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, picnicking and sightseeing

Seasons Accessible

Open Year Round

None