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Tucked away at 6,900 ft elevation beside the pristine El Vado Lake in northern New Mexico’s Chama River Valley—just 13 miles north of Tierra Amarilla amid pine forests and towering mountains—El Vado Lake State Park Airport (E52) is a remote fly-in haven for adventurous pilots seeking backcountry runway access and wilderness escapes. This 5,000 ft dirt/gravel strip supports light GA aircraft for fishing charters, hiking drop-offs, and scenic VFR tours, with direct trail connections to Heron Lake State Park—ideal for tailwheel enthusiasts blending high-altitude ops with trout angling or bald eagle spotting under 300+ sunny days in Rio Arriba County’s unspoiled terrain.

Coordinates: 36°38′00″N 106°43′02″W | Elevation: 6,900 ft (2,103 m) | Est. 1960s

Brief History
Constructed between 1964–1968 as a recreational airstrip for the newly developed El Vado Lake State Park—created in 1956 around the 1935 El Vado Dam on the Rio Chama for irrigation and flood control—E52 first appeared on the 1968 NM Aeronautical Chart as a 5,000 ft runway serving park visitors. Once a gateway to the submerged logging town of El Vado (pop. 1,000 in 1910), the airport has evolved into a cherished backcountry spot for fly-in camping and outdoor pursuits, with minor maintenance like weed control keeping it viable despite its remote, unpaved status amid New Mexico’s northern mountain heritage.