Quemado Lake

High-country reservoir in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, popular for trout fishing

Quemado Lake is a small reservoir created by the damming of Largo Creek, sitting at around 7,800 feet in the ponderosa pine and juniper woodland of the Gila National Forest, about 15 miles south of Quemado on NM-32. The fishing is the main attraction: the lake is stocked with rainbow and brown trout and is considered one of the better high-altitude fishing spots in western New Mexico.

The surroundings are pleasant for a short walk or a picnic, with pine-forest trails leading away from the shoreline. There are basic camping facilities at the lake and a few cabins available for rental. Even if you do not fish, the drive south from Quemado through the ponderosa pines and into the higher terrain is worth doing for the scenery, which changes considerably from the high-desert scrub of US-60.

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