Bluewater Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Bluewater Lake State Park is a state park
of New Mexico
, USA, located in the Zuni Mountains
40 miles (64.4 km) west of Grants
. The park itself encompasses approximately 3000 acres (12.1 km²), and the lake has a surface area of approximately 1200 acres (4.9 km²).
The park is popular for fishing and bird watching, with 68 different species of birds either calling the park home, or passing through the park on their annual migrations. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout
, cutthroat trout
, and catfish
. Its high altitude (7,400 ft) and location in northern New Mexico cause the lake to freeze over in the winter, allowing ice fishing
to take place.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, USA, located in the Zuni Mountains
Zuni Mountains
The Zuni Mountains are a mountain range in Cibola County of northwestern New Mexico. The range is located largely in the Cibola National Forest, lying south of Interstate 40 from southeast of Gallup to southwest of Grants. The range is about sixty miles long and forty miles wide...
40 miles (64.4 km) west of Grants
Grants, New Mexico
Grants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 9,182 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Cibola County....
. The park itself encompasses approximately 3000 acres (12.1 km²), and the lake has a surface area of approximately 1200 acres (4.9 km²).
The park is popular for fishing and bird watching, with 68 different species of birds either calling the park home, or passing through the park on their annual migrations. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
, and catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
. Its high altitude (7,400 ft) and location in northern New Mexico cause the lake to freeze over in the winter, allowing ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
to take place.