Ute Lake State Park: Fishing, camping and wakesurfing near Tucumcari, NM

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Northeast of Tucumcari, Ute Lake State Park is home to fishing, watersports, camping and more

The park draws 250,000+ visitors a year

Fabian Alvarado, left, and his brother Ernesto Alvarado, from Amarillo, fish at Ute Lake State Park, near Logan, on June 6.

Ute Lake State Park guests can enjoy a relaxing view of the water.

Nicole and Bill Beenau, from Albuquerque, take off in their jet skis at Ute Lake State Park on June 6.

Families fish along the banks at Ute Lake State Park on June 6.

Gregory R.C. Hasman Journal Staff Writer

Published June 21, 2026 - 8:58 a.m.

About 25 miles northeast of Tucumcari is an oasis where people can enjoy a night under the stars, wakesurf, or sit on a cooler and fish with loved ones.

opened in 1964 after the completion of Ute Reservoir. It is named after Ute Creek, one of the tributaries of the Canadian River that is impounded by a dam, according to the

Logan is on the east side of the lake, which extends upstream in both the Ute and Canadian. Most of the land surrounding Ute Lake is private, though all the water is open to the public.

Among those who enjoy the watering hole is Tucumcari resident John Halsell, who came out with his family to Mine Canyon, a quiet spot on the south shore of the park, on June 6.

鈥淚 usually go here or Conchas Lake, but most of the time we come here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 friendly. We never have any problem with anybody. When the wind ain鈥檛 blowing, you have a pretty good day.鈥�

Even when there is an uptick in visitors on Memorial Day or Labor Day weekends, Halsell said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 never too crowded that you can鈥檛 find a good place to sit and fish.鈥�

Ute Lake State Park has been his go-to spot since he was a child reeling in catfish with his father.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what my dad used to set us up for,鈥� Hallsell said. 鈥淭hat way, we didn鈥檛 have to play with our poles too much.鈥�

Over the years, he said he remembered his dad taking a week off the farm to take the family fishing.

鈥淢y grandma would be out here and my aunts, uncles and we鈥檇 all just camp out and stay out here fishing and swimming and having a good time, then pack up and go home,鈥� Halsell said.

Aside from fishing, people can enjoy an array of activities like waterskiing, canoeing and wakesurfing 鈥� including Beck鈥檚 Boats annual wakesurfing competition on Saturday, June 27.

In wakesurfing, a person will ride on a specialized surfboard and hold a tow rope pulled by a boat. Once they find that happy spot on the wave, they let go and surf the wave unassisted.

鈥淚t feels like flying,鈥� Dustin Poling, owner of Beck鈥檚 Boats, said.

Ute Lake State Park has 173 campsites, park superintendent Laken Humble said. All the campsites are open April 1-Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 to March 31, the Zia, Roadrunner, Ute Creek Overlook and Eagle Point campgrounds are closed.

Logan Village Administrator Richard Paris said the park brings a lot of tourists to the area. According to the village鈥檚 website, the park has over 250,000 visitors a year.

鈥淒uring a holiday weekend, the park can see 25,000-40,000 people and so the economic impact for us is huge,鈥� Paris said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure we would survive without it.鈥�

Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.