Fishing

Red River, New Mexico, is a historic mountain town in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. Born as an 1890s mining town, today it draws visitors year-round with the Red River Ski & Summer Area, trout fishing, hiking, ATV trails, and a full calendar of festivals from Mardi Gras in the Mountains to Oktoberfest. Discover the town's history, annual events, outdoor adventures, local culture, and small-town charm.

Read more about Where the Mountains Meet Your Spirit

The Cimarron River winding through Cimarron Canyon, with Eagle Nest Dam visible in the distance at the head of the canyon.

Drive east out of Red River over Bobcat Pass and the Moreno Valley suddenly opens wide in front of you, and there, spread across the valley floor, is a sheet of blue water ringed by pasture and peaks. Did you know that Eagle Nest Lake is not a natural lake at all? A little more than a century ago there was no lake there, only the Cimarron River winding through ranch country, until two ranching brothers decided to dam it and change the eastern side of the Enchanted Circle forever.

Read more about Eagle Nest Dam: The Ranchers' Dam That Made a Lake on the Enchanted Circle

Two anglers fly fish in the shallow waters of the Red River in New Mexico.

As brown trout move toward spawn, fall fishing heats up on the Red River, with reports rating rainbows very good and low, clear flows near 34 cfs rewarding stealthy anglers.

Read more about Fall Fishing Heats Up on the Red River as Brown Trout Move Toward Spawn

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