Elephant Butte Lake State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elephant Butte Lake State Park |
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Elephant Butte Reservoir from Elephant Butte Lake State Park, April 2011
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 Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Location in New Mexico
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| Location | Sierra, New Mexico, United States |
| Area | 24,500 acres (99 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,500 ft (1,400 m) |
| Established | 1964 |
| Governing body | New Mexico State Parks Division |
Elephant Butte Lake State Park is a huge park in New Mexico, United States. It is located about 7 miles (11 km) north of a town called Truth or Consequences. This park is found along the shores of the Elephant Butte Reservoir in Sierra County.
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About Elephant Butte Lake State Park
This park is the biggest state park in New Mexico. It surrounds the state's largest lake, the Elephant Butte Reservoir. This huge lake covers about 36,000 acres (146 square kilometers). It was created in 1916 by building a dam across the Rio Grande river. The lake is about 40 miles (64 km) long. It has more than 200 miles (320 km) of shoreline.
What Can You Do at the Lake?
The New Mexico State Parks manages fun activities at Elephant Butte Reservoir. They work with the United States Bureau of Reclamation. You can enjoy many water sports here. These include boating, fishing, and swimming.
The Elephant Butte Dam
The Elephant Butte Dam was built between 1911 and 1916. Building it was a very big engineering project for its time. This giant concrete dam is the main feature of the park. It is even listed as a historic place. The New Mexico State Parks has a visitor center. Here, you can learn all about how the dam was built.
Camping and Fun
There are three main camping areas around the lake. These areas offer more than 200 spots for camping and picnicking. You can also find marinas and stores run by different companies. They make it easy to enjoy your time at the lake.
A Special Discovery
The park is named after a hill that looks like an elephant's head. This hill is near the dam. But something even cooler was found here! On June 9, 2014, scientists discovered a fossil of a stegomastodon. This was an ancient animal, like a very old elephant.
