| Bonito Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Bonito Lake  Bonito Lake | |
| Location | Lincoln County, New Mexico |
| Coordinates | 33°27′21″N 105°43′54″W / 33.45583°N 105.73167°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Bonito Creek |
| Primary outflows | Bonito Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Max. depth | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Surface elevation | 7,380 ft (2,250 m) |
Bonito Lake is an alpine reservoir located high in the Sierra Blanca mountains northwest of Ruidoso, New Mexico. It is a popular fishing and camping destination, and although it is surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest, it is not a part of the national forest. It is currently owned by the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico as their primary water source. Because of the high altitude, the lake's temperature is cold year round, and is home to an abundance of rainbow trout. The area around the lake has several campgrounds with hiking trails and streams. The 2012 Little Bear Fire caused severe erosion in the watershed above the lake, flooding and the lake was contaminated with sediment and ash. In 2015 the lake was drained in order to dredge it.