Actually seven small park lakes bordered by high red bluffs, Bottomless Lakes State Park offers a variety of sports including hiking, swimming, fishing, and scuba diving.

Located near Roswell, New Mexico, the area now known as Bottomless Lakes was originally part of a large Spanish land grant. The region's unique lakes are actually sinkholes ranging from 17 to 90 feet deep. They were formed by dissolving limestone and subsequent collapse.

Prior to its designation as a state park in 1933, local ranchers used the land for grazing livestock. It became New Mexico’s first state park thanks to Governor Arthur Seligman who saw potential for recreational development.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) played an integral role during the Great Depression era in developing infrastructure within these lands that would support visitor activities such as picnicking and swimming facilities; they constructed buildings still standing today. Historical features include remnants of past CCC projects like stone cottages and other structures which reflect early-20th-century craftsmanship.

To get to Bottomless Lakes State Park from Roswell, head east on US 380 for 12 miles and then south on NM 409 for three miles.