Vermejo Park Ranch

About Us

With snowcapped alpine tundra, 19 fishable lakes, and over 550,000 stunning acres of picturesque lands, Vermejo is the jewel of northern New Mexico. Its diverse landscape is home to a wide variety of wildlife including elk, bison, black bears, and mountain lions. Whether riding horseback through open fields, exploring turn-of-the-century charcoal kilns, or fly fishing for Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Vermejo has something for everyone.

What we do

Stream Fishing: If moving water is your game, explore our handful of small creeks and sight cast to native Rio Grande Cutthroats, a rare experience provided by Vermejo’s efforts to rehabilitate this species. Our streams provide a casting adventure across varying terrain, from the meandering waters in the High Country to the tight, shrubby trickles of Leandro and Ricardo creeks. All of these waterways are small and technical, making them best suited for intermediate anglers or above. The setting, however, will appeal to everyone, as it’s not uncommon to encounter bison, bears, and bald eagles.

Lake Fishing: The serenity of a glassy lake is hard to beat, especially when it’s teeming with trout. Sight cast from shore in the early mornings as the waters warm up, then hop in one of our Jon boats and patrol the grassy edges for the monsters. Guests routinely hook fish 20 inches and bigger from our six Class A lakes, which we stock semiannually. And in the high country, including Seven, Casias, and Glacier lakes, as well as Costilla Reservoir, you can hook Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, which were almost extinct prior to Vermejo’s restoration project.

Ice Fishing: Just because the lakes freeze over doesn’t mean the fishing is done for the year. If there’s ice on the water, we’ll smash through the snow drifts and sweep off the powder to get the lines into the deep. You’ll set up in one of our weatherproof fishing enclosures, peer through the cut in the ice to the trout circling in the blue and learn to jig to get those fish on your hook. When you’re not fishing, there’s a fire to warm by, hot cocoa or adult beverages, and often eagles circling overhead. On the dinner menu: Trout!

Fly Fishing Instruction: Whether you’re new to fly fishing, looking to grow your knowledge, or just hoping to brush up your cast, one-on-one time with our experienced fishing guides is exactly what you need. Over a half day at headquarters, you’ll learn about trout habitat and diet, the best knots and how to tie them, fly selection and figuring out what will work, and the best strategies for landing fish. After the education portion, your guide will take you onto the front lawn and walk you through the basics of casting, then work with you to nail your accuracy and tighten up those loops. If you’re interested in learning, this is the perfect morning add-on to an afternoon on the lakes or streams for a full day of fishing success.

Where we do it

40 Miles West Hwy 555
Raton, NM 87740

 Nearest International Airports
Santa Fe Regional Airport (SAF) – 3 hours
Colorado Springs (COS) – 3 hours

Denver International Airport (DEN) – 4 hours
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) – 4 hours

Contact