Bear Lake

Bear Lake: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.

Best time to visit Bear Lake

Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

How to reach Bear Lake — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 36.78874, -105.43587. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Bear Lake

• Baldy Mountain · viewpoint · Taos · ~1 km · Must-see
• Venado Peak · viewpoint · Taos · ~6 km · Must-see
• Bobcat Pass · viewpoint · Taos · ~16 km · Must-see
• Gold Hill · viewpoint · Taos · ~20 km · Must-see
• Columbine-Hondo Wilderness · sanctuary · Taos · ~24 km · Must-see
• Little Costilla Peak · viewpoint · Colfax · ~25 km · Must-see
• Mount Walter · viewpoint · Taos · ~32 km · Must-see
• Wheeler Peak · viewpoint · Taos · ~32 km · Must-see
• Williams Lake · lake · Taos · ~32 km · Must-see
• Lake Fork Peak · lake · Taos · ~33 km · Must-see
• Baldy Mountain · viewpoint · Colfax · ~33 km · Must-see
• Cerro del Yuta Wilderness · sanctuary · Taos · ~34 km · Must-see
• Ute Mountain · viewpoint · Taos · ~34 km · Must-see
• Blue Lake · lake · Taos · ~35 km · Must-see
• Vallecito Mountain · viewpoint · Taos · ~36 km · Must-see
• Pueblo Peak · viewpoint · Taos · ~42 km · Must-see
• Black Rock Hot Spring · attraction · Taos · ~47 km · Must-see
• Manby Hot Springs · attraction · Taos · ~51 km · Must-see

See everything within a day’s drive of Bear Lake

Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Bear Lake

• Williams Lake · lake · Taos · ~32 km · Must-see
• Lake Fork Peak · lake · Taos · ~33 km · Must-see
• Blue Lake · lake · Taos · ~35 km · Must-see
• Black Lakes · lake · Colfax · ~74 km · Must-see
• Mountain Home Dam · lake · Costilla · ~84 km · Must-see
• Smith Reservoir · lake · Costilla · ~85 km · Must-see
• Trinidad Lake State Park · lake · Las Animas · ~107 km · Must-see
• Morphy Lake State Park · lake · Mora · ~118 km · Must-see
• Morphy Lake · lake · Mora · ~118 km · Must-see
• Trujillo Meadows Dam · lake · Conejos · ~118 km · Must-see

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in New Mexico

Frequently asked