Estancia Salt Lakes

East of the town of Estancia, a chain of shallow salt lakes spreads across the floor of the Estancia Basin. The largest lake, Laguna del Perro, stretches for roughly 12 miles. These playas are remnants of a much larger Ice Age lake and were once an important source of salt for the pueblos of the Salinas region. Salt from the basin was traded across a wide part of the Southwest and onto the Great Plains long before Spanish settlement.

What to Do

This is mostly a roadside stop rather than a place to hike. Much of the land around the lakes is private ranchland, so do not walk out across the playas unless access is clearly permitted. NM 41 follows the western side of Laguna del Perro near Willard and gives you some of the best views across the basin. A historical marker along the route explains the area’s long connection to the regional salt trade. After wetter periods, shallow water can spread across the playas and attract migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. By summer, the lakes are often mostly dry. At that point, the landscape becomes a broad white salt flat surrounded by open grassland.

How Much Time to Spend

20 to 30 minutes is enough to pull over, read the historical marker, and take in the view. This works best as a stop while driving the Salt Missions Trail rather than as a destination by itself.

Getting There

The Estancia Salt Lakes are scattered throughout Torrance County. NM 41 runs along the western side of Laguna del Perro, while US 60 passes near the southern end of the basin. Both roads are paved and easy to reach from Willard, Mountainair, or Estancia.

The lakes themselves are simple, but the history gives the stop some weight. You’re looking across one of the landscapes that helped connect the Salinas pueblos to a much larger trade network centuries before modern highways crossed the basin.