US lakes & ponds
New Mexico › Chaves County › Fort Sumner › Salt Lake

Salt Lake

Fort Sumner, New Mexico — Chaves County.

Share:TextEmailFacebookX
209Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120031016).

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Salt Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Salt Lake is in New Mexico

The red circle marks Salt Lake.

Fast facts

About Salt Lake

  • Counties: Chaves, De Baca
  • Nearest city: Fort Sumner (about 26.4 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 153 mi from Santa Fe and 159 mi from Albuquerque, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (New Mexico: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in New Mexico

Official NMDGF pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

Salt Lake shoreline

½ mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120031016), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (33.9939, -104.1904). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Salt Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Salt Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Salt Lake

    How big is Salt Lake?

    Salt Lake covers about 209 acres in Fort Sumner, New Mexico (Chaves County).

    What towns are on Salt Lake?

    Salt Lake touches Fort Sumner in Chaves County and De Baca County, New Mexico.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Salt Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Mexico lakes & ponds · All waters in Fort Sumner