Sumner Lake State Park

Sumner Lake State Park
Pecos Campground
Map showing the location of Sumner Lake State Park
Map showing the location of Sumner Lake State Park
Location of Sumner Lake State Park in New Mexico
LocationDe Baca, New Mexico, United States
Coordinates34°36′28″N 104°23′15″W / 34.60778°N 104.38750°W / 34.60778; -104.38750
Area6,700 acres (27 km2)
Elevation4,300 ft (1,300 m)
Established1966[1]
Governing bodyNew Mexico State Parks Division

Sumner Lake State Park is a state park in De Baca County, New Mexico, United States, located on the eastern plains about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Fort Sumner.

The park features a large 4,500-acre (18 km2) reservoir on the Pecos River, created in 1939 by the Sumner Dam of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The reservoir is home to various fish species including largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and walleye. The park elevation is 4,300 feet (1,300 m) above sea level.[2] With its campground, expansive views of the sky, and its distance from other cities, Sumner Lake State Park has a low level of light pollution, which makes the state park a great potential place for amateur astronomy.[3]

Animals

The park is home to the Sandia hairstreak (Callophrys mcfarlandi), New Mexico's state butterfly. About 50 other species of butterflies have been identified in the park.

Flora

One-seed juniper, honey mesquite, and spiny cholla dominate the landscape of the park.

References

  1. ^ "Sumner Lake State Park Management Plan" (PDF). June 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  2. ^ New Mexico State Parks Division. "Sumner Lake State Park". New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.
  3. ^ R, Mike (August 22, 2021). "State Park Bortle 1 Scale Information In The US". CosmosPNW. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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