BoatUS.com: Trailering Club

Just 20 miles to the west of Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico, Sir Richard Branson is building a $225 million Spaceport America where, one of these days, you'll be able to buy a ticket and take a trip orbiting the Earth or, if time isn't an issue, land on the moon-or beyond-for a few days of rest.

And along the eastern shoreline of the state's largest lake (40 miles from north to south), bones of the fierce seven-ton, 40-foot-long Tyrannosaurus Rex that roamed the land 60 million years ago have been found. Paleontologists from around the world have traveled here to study these extraordinary skeletal remains.

The future and past around this lake are exciting to be sure, but the present moment, literally speaking, isn't bad either.

More than 1.3 million boaters, campers and hikers come to Elephant Butte Lake every year. In fact, more than 60,000 spent the past Labor Day weekend at the lake. Its mild climate makes boating a year-round activity-Case in point: The annual Parade of Lights scheduled in December with dozens of decorated boats will attract a few thousand onlookers. Every April there's a huge hot-air balloon fest that crosses the lake, bringing fans with cameras (and boats) to the water. The lake is a destination for snowbirds with RV's so the 200-mile shoreline is dotted with camping grounds and parks.

But despite its history, Elephant Butte came to be just a little more than 90 years ago. That was when a massive 300-foot-high, 1,674 foot-long dam was built across the Rio Grande River in a five-year project to provide water for irrigation and flood control. The resulting reservoir brought the needed water-along with boats, fish and, of course, a story behind its name.

One of the newly formed islands was actually an ancient volcano core with steep sides and an isolated hill on top. To many observers, it looked like a sleeping elephant. Going back to the past for a moment, remains of mastodons (relatives of elephants) have been found in the area too, but the observers of whatever was on top of the Butte were convinced what they were seeing was definitely an elephant at rest. The name stuck. Besides, "Mastodon Butte" just isn't as catchy.

"It's hard to see from a boat," notes Alan Brown, vice president of Operations for Lago Rico Inc., the company operating three marinas around Elephant Butte (Marina del Sur, Rock Canyon and Dam Site Marina). "You have to be far away to see that it looks like an elephant that is facing west. The best way to see it is to be north of the island and looking back at it. Then it's pretty obvious."

The name stuck in a number of ways. Not only is it the name of the island and the lake, but it's also the name of the 24,000-acre state park nearby and the city that's next to the park. Elephant Butte Lake State Park, has launch facilities though its northern-most boat ramp, Monticello, has closed in order to accommodate a seasonal irrigation demand that will drop the lake level by 10 feet, making that specific ramp unusable. Because of recent rains, the lake is still 20 feet above its level of a year ago.

The largest boat ramp is at Marina del Sur, on the lake's western shore in the city of Elephant Butte. There are 16 lanes and parking is available in one of three adjacent lots. If you plan to stay overnight and want to leave the tow vehicle and trailer, that's no problem. The launching and parking fees are included in the entrance fee to the park.

At the southern end of the lake is Dam Site Marina, so named because of its proximity just east of Elephant Butte Dam. In keeping with the area's theme of "The Obvious", the Dam Site Marina (yes, there are smiles when called on the VHF) has a boat ramp with two lanes, though it can be treacherous if the water is low. Discussions are taking place about renovations, but no date or cost has been set to make the needed improvements.

Next door to the marina is a 30-room lodge that housed engineering and administrative offices during the five-year construction of the dam. Today, it's open for guests to spend the night, have corporate getaways or weddings. Nearby is a restaurant that sits on a hill overlooking the lake.

Rocky Canyon Marina is just north of Elephant Butte (the town) and has four lanes open year round for launching and retrieving. As is the case with all the marinas on Elephant Butte Lake, launch fees are part of the Elephant Butte Lake State Park admission.

The majority of boating occurs on the southern (lower) half of the lake. Here the water is clear and deep, the boat ramps are nearby and the lake is almost five miles across at its widest point.

Two of the sights to see on the southern end are located along the eastern shore: Kettle Top Butte is a landmark noted most for its similarity to a huge pot with a flat top. Fishermen gather near Kettle Top in search of black, white, and striped bass, crappie, and walleye while families pull out a camera for a shot of its unique shape. Just a few miles north of Kettle Top is a long cove where boats can be pulled ashore for a hike into McRae Canyon. The remains of Fort McRae, a frontier military post built in 1863 during the conflict between Indians and settlers, can be seen along the way. The cove is quiet and many birders will drop anchor to watch eagles at work. Of the 800 species of birds in the United States, 500 stop on or near Elephant Butte so chances are always good you'll encounter a "birder" with binoculars here.

The western shore of the lake is where most of the beaches are located. Going north on the lake, boaters will come to an area called "the Narrows" which most locals will suggest avoiding. The waters are shallow and, depending on water level, even a power boat faces potential prop damage when attempting to follow the Narrows, four-mile length.

Truth or Consequences
Any visit to Elephant Butte is going to include Truth or Consequences. This isn't a wild west tale, it's the name of a city that used to be called "Hot Springs." But with so many other cities using the same name in California, Arkansas, Arizona and elsewhere, Hot Springs, New Mexico was looking for an identity of sorts. Ironically, unlike other cities using the name, the New Mexico Hot Springs actually had a number of springs bubbling to the surface with 107¡ mineral water that attracted Indians and, later, settlers in need of treatments.

About the same time the city was trying to get its name on the map, Ralph Edwards was looking for some publicity of his own for a radio show he hosted on NBC called "Truth or Consequences." Ever the promoter, Edwards wanted a city to change its name to that of the radio program in return for bringing the show to town. Hot Springs, New Mexico won the bidding and after a vote of citizens in 1950, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico was open for business. Today, the warm water aquifer continues to soothe aching muscles at a number of spas in the city.

"I can describe Elephant Butte this way," Alan Brown says in a reflective moment while looking out at the huge lake from his office. "Last summer there was a couple sitting at the end of one of our docks and I walked out to say hello. They weren't saying a word, just looking out at the water. I introduced myself and learned they were from Albuquerque, just two hours north of here. This was their first time to Elephant Butte. I remember telling them to enjoy the view and was preparing to walk back when then they looked out at he expanse of clear water and bright blue skies and one said, 'This is great!'"

It costs $5/day to utilize Elephant Butte Lake State Park (and all the ramps at the marinas). An annual pass for out of state visitors is $40/year.
On holiday weekends there are "ramp masters" on duty to provide assistance and reduce potential accidents and injuries.
If you are leaving the tow vehicle and trailer overnight, pay an "overnight camping" fee (cost is $8) and put receipt on the windshield of the tow vehicle. This is helpful if park rangers need to contact you in an emergency.