Clayton Lake

Clayton Lake State Park preserves a scenic High Plains reservoir and an internationally significant dinosaur trackway in the remote northeastern corner of New Mexico, approximately 12 miles north of the small ranching town of Clayton. While the park centers on a modest fishing lake popular with local anglers, its greatest treasure lies at the dam spillway where over 500 individual dinosaur footprints are preserved in 100-million-year-old rock—one of the most extensive and well-preserved dinosaur track sites in the world. The park's designation as an International Dark Sky Park in 2017 recognized the exceptional quality of its night sky, adding another dimension to the visitor experience in this peaceful, remote location.

The shortgrass prairie surrounding the lake supports wildlife characteristic of the southern Great Plains ecosystem. Pronghorn antelope, North America's fastest land animal, graze the surrounding grasslands and are frequently visible from park roads. Black-tailed prairie dogs maintain colonies in the area, their burrow systems providing habitat for numerous other species and attracting predators including hawks, badgers, and coyotes. Mule deer are occasionally seen, particularly near the lake shore. The lake attracts various waterfowl during migration including ducks, geese, and occasional American white pelicans. Meadowlarks, horned larks, and various sparrows fill the grasslands with song, while raptors including Swainson's hawks and ferruginous hawks patrol overhead.

Vegetation reflects the shortgrass prairie ecosystem that once covered millions of acres of the southern Great Plains before widespread conversion to agriculture and ranching. Blue grama and buffalo grass form the dominant ground cover, interspersed with side-oats grama and various bunch grasses. Scattered shrubs include sand sagebrush, four-wing saltbush, and occasional soapweed yucca. Near the lake, cattails, sedges, and willows grow in moist areas. Cottonwoods planted around developed areas provide welcome shade in this largely treeless landscape. Seasonal wildflowers including various sunflowers, purple prairie clover, and white prickly poppy bloom following adequate rainfall.

The dinosaur trackway at Clayton Lake is preserved in sandstone of the Dakota Formation, deposited approximately 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period when this area was a coastal mudflat along the edge of an inland sea that covered much of central North America. The tracks were made by various dinosaur species walking along this ancient shoreline, including multiple types of ornithopods (duck-billed dinosaurs), theropods (meat-eating dinosaurs), and possibly others. The footprints were quickly covered by sediment before they could erode, then lithified into rock over millions of years. A dedicated viewing platform and interpretive boardwalk allow visitors to observe the tracks without damaging them. New tracks continue to be exposed as erosion removes overlying rock layers.

Clayton Lake experiences a semi-arid continental climate with significant seasonal temperature variations and frequent wind characteristic of the Great Plains. Summer temperatures typically reach the 90s°F with occasional thunderstorms, particularly during the monsoon season from July through September. Winters are cold with temperatures regularly dropping below freezing and occasional snow and ice that can affect road conditions. Spring is notoriously windy, with sustained winds of 30+ mph common. The clear, dry atmosphere contributes to the exceptional stargazing conditions that earned the park its Dark Sky designation. The remote location and sparse population mean minimal light pollution even from surrounding areas.

The northeastern New Mexico plains have supported human populations for at least 12,000 years, with Paleoindian peoples hunting the now-extinct large mammals that roamed the grasslands. Later peoples including ancestors of various Plains tribes hunted bison and pronghorn across this landscape. Spanish explorers crossed the region in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the Santa Fe Trail passed approximately 60 miles to the south. Cattle ranching dominated the area from the 1870s onward, and the town of Clayton developed as a railroad shipping point. The dinosaur trackway was discovered during construction of Clayton Dam in 1982, transforming understanding of the site's paleontological significance.

New Mexico established Clayton Lake State Park in 1955, initially focused on providing recreational access to the reservoir for fishing and camping. The dinosaur trackway was discovered in 1982 when maintenance work at the dam spillway exposed the fossil footprints, dramatically enhancing the park's significance. Paleontologists documented over 500 individual tracks representing multiple dinosaur species, and a viewing platform and interpretive displays were developed to share this remarkable find with visitors. The park received International Dark Sky Park designation in 2017, one of only a handful of state parks in the country to receive this recognition. An observatory was subsequently added to enhance the stargazing experience.

The dinosaur trackway at the dam spillway is the park's premier attraction, featuring a boardwalk and viewing platform that allows close observation of over 500 footprints preserved in ancient stone. Interpretive signs explain the various track types, the animals that made them, and the environment in which they lived 100 million years ago. The observatory and stargazing programs take advantage of the Dark Sky Park designation, with public viewing nights scheduled throughout the year and especially during astronomical events. The 170-acre lake provides fishing for stocked rainbow trout as well as bass, catfish, and walleye. A short nature trail explores the prairie grassland ecosystem near the campground.

The park is located approximately 12 miles north of Clayton, New Mexico, via NM Highway 370, at the end of a paved road through rolling ranch country. The campground offers 53 sites with electrical hookups, modern restrooms with showers, and a group shelter. Day-use facilities include a boat ramp, fishing dock, picnic area, and the dinosaur trackway viewing area. The observatory hosts regular public programs, with schedules available on the park website and through local tourism offices. Clayton, while small, provides basic services including fuel, groceries, and restaurants. The remote location means minimal cell phone coverage and limited emergency services—visitors should come prepared for self-sufficiency.

Protecting the irreplaceable dinosaur trackway from weathering and visitor damage represents the park's primary conservation challenge. The exposed tracks gradually erode from rain, freeze-thaw cycles, and foot traffic, making ongoing documentation critical for preserving scientific information even as original tracks slowly degrade. Visitors are asked to remain on the boardwalk and not touch the tracks, as oils from human skin can accelerate weathering. Maintaining the Dark Sky Park designation requires careful attention to lighting throughout the facility, with all fixtures fully shielded and using appropriate color temperatures. Managing the reservoir for both recreation and downstream irrigation needs requires coordination with water managers. Native grassland restoration around developed areas helps preserve the prairie ecosystem.