Lathrop State Park in Colorado is notable for several reasons. First, it was the first state park in Colorado. Second, it is made up of not one, but two lakes! Martin Lake is for power boats and water skiers, while Horseshoe Lake is for more peaceful ventures like canoeing and kayaking. No matter which lake you choose there are stunning views of Spanish Peaks. The drone’s eye view shows how close these lakes are separated by a narrow strip of land combining for a very unique state park in Colorado! Have you ever been there?
El Vado Lake a hidden gem in Rio Arriba County New Mexico
Rio Arriba County New Mexico is one of my favorite places to visit for my rural land real estate work in particular because of the spectacular scenery of and around El Vado Lake. This lake is part of a state park (open seasonally). The water level changes radically with the seasons. I have been at the lake and was shocked at just how low it was at that time. In these photos and drone video I would say the lake is pretty high and near its full volume. Another unique thing about this lake, is that if you are coming from the south, one option you have is to take a 16 mile dirt road right to this southern point of the lake. The dirt road is well maintained, so pretty much any vehicle with a little ground clearance could do it in the dry, and is my recommended way of visiting El Vado Lake. If you are looking for a hidden gem of a lake in New Mexico, use the map below to visit El Vado Lake yourself.
Leaving Albuquerque on a scenic drive for a day trip can take you to Abiquiu Lake. Driving offroad can get you to this less visited southern area of the lake. I was on a rural land real estate shoot for a client who also wanted some footage of the lake. Finding access from the south was a challenge due to a couple of locked gates, but I found a place to launch the drone from just in time to get this stunning golden hour and sunset cinematic 4K drone video. Check out the map link below to visit Abiquiu Lake yourself.
My rural land real estate work takes me to all corners of New Mexico, but I had never yet been to the west-central area of New Mexico where I found the hidden gem of Quemado Lake. Far from any interstate, really far from any even major town, let alone city, it’s a place you have to go ou oof your way to find. It is definitely a place worth making an effort for, as it has a hiking trail that goes around the entire shoreline of this quite large lake. Plus, there are the traditional lake on-water activities. I share with you views from the drone and the lake side of this hidden gem.
If you find yourself in Roswell, New Mexico and you want to do some non-alien exploring, nearby Bottomless Lakes State Park is a hidden gem worth seeking out. The lakes are actually sinkholes filled with water, and as always, to my disappointment with such things, not truly bottomless! Some are up to 90 feet deep though, which for the desert, is pretty far down. You can hike all along the ~6 lakes even circumnavigating the rims of each which offer unique views adding even more to the sense of bottomlessness of the water. I had both my camera and drone with me to capture these lakes from all angles. Let me know in the comments if you have been to this state park, or after seeing these images, if you will be planning to visit.
Small, but beautiful, Monte Verde Lake in Angel Fire, New Mexico greets you as you arrive from the south. Surrounded by a walking path that points you to various mountain views and tall timber, it is a small haven for those looking for a Nature escape. I share all forms of media of Monte Verde Lake: 4K drone video, 360 drone panorama photo, high resolution mirrorless still photos, and aerial drone photos. Which is your favorite media of the lake?
Conchas Lake visits require bringing your own supplies
In an area dozens of miles from any gas station, grocery store, or restaurant, Conchas Lake in New Mexico is about as remote of a place you will find that has an active community living around it. This makes it a unique lake community unlike the others I have featured on Jason Collin Photography before in Navajo Dam Lake and Elephant Butte Lake. This lake also has a dam that you can drive along the top of, which is a pretty cool experience. Enjoy the drone views of the lake and dam in this series of drone aerial photos and drone video.
