Samson Lake

Samson 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 Samson 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 Samson Lake — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 35.56306, -108.87949. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Samson Lake

• Navajo Nation Museum · museum · McKinley · ~24 km · Must-see
• Window Rock Dam · church · McKinley · ~25 km · Must-see
• Fort Wingate Historical Marker · fort · McKinley · ~41 km · Must-see
• Red Lake · lake · McKinley · ~54 km · Must-see
• volcanic caldera rim of Narbona Pass Volcan · viewpoint · San Juan · ~74 km · Must-see
• Todacheene Dam · lake · San Juan · ~74 km · Must-see
• Torrivio Mesa · viewpoint · McKinley · ~7 km
• Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano · cave · McKinley · ~9 km
• Twin Knoll Buttes · viewpoint · McKinley · ~11 km
• Refuge Rock · viewpoint · McKinley · ~14 km
• Chief Theater · fort · McKinley · ~16 km
• Historic El Morro Theatre · fort · McKinley · ~16 km
• Babe Ruth Park · park · McKinley · ~17 km
• Purty Rock · viewpoint · McKinley · ~18 km
• Crown Point · viewpoint · McKinley · ~19 km
• Corn Burned Hill · viewpoint · McKinley · ~19 km
• Remnant Mesa · viewpoint · McKinley · ~22 km
• Umbrella Butte · viewpoint · McKinley · ~23 km

See everything within a day’s drive of Samson Lake

Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Samson Lake

• Red Lake · lake · McKinley · ~54 km · Must-see
• Todacheene Dam · lake · San Juan · ~74 km · Must-see
• Bekihatso · lake · Apache · ~106 km · Must-see
• Vanderwagen Reservoir Number One · lake · McKinley · ~40 km
• Whiskey Lake T20n Dam · lake · McKinley · ~42 km
• Chuska Lake · lake · McKinley · ~43 km
• Aspen Drop Structure · lake · McKinley · ~44 km
• McGaffey Lake Dam · lake · McKinley · ~49 km
• Red Lake Dam · lake · McKinley · ~52 km
• Nutria Spring · lake · McKinley · ~54 km

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in New Mexico

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