Eagle Nest Origins

Eagle Nest Dam and lake are located in the Moreno Valley of New Mexico's high northern mountains. Colfax County rancher and businessman Charles Springer submitted an application to the New Mexico Territorial Engineer to build a dam at the head of the Cimarron River, thereby creating what would become known as Eagle Nest Lake.

Springer got approval to start construction on the dam and with the help of Bartlett and Samey's design and building expertise, work on the dam began. Started in 1916 and completed only 2 years later, the dam was used to  store the surplus waters of the Cimarron River for power plants, mining, and irrigation. Most of the labor for building the dam was provided by the Taos Pueblo Indians. The largest privately constructed dam in the United States, the concrete structure is 400 feet wide, stands 140 feet above the river bed, and is 9.5 feet thick at its crest and 45.2 feet thick at its base. Supposedly, eagles built nests on the sides of the new dam, and that’s how it got its name.

The dam then created Eagle Nest Lake, allowing over 2,000 acres of water surrounded by rolling pastures and mountains. Fishermen began to arrive at Eagle Nest Lake as it was stocked with trout. Also known as “The Anglers Paradise”, Eagle Nest Lake quickly became a prime fishing spot and brought business to what is now Eagle Nest, New Mexico.