Search continues at Cochiti Lake after possible drowning prompts closure

Cochiti Swim Beach and Day Use Area, Cochiti Boat Ramp and Day Use Area, Tetilla Boat Ramp and Day Use Area, Cochiti Hiking Trails and the Cochiti Lake Dam were closed until further notice after a possible drowning triggered a search at Cochiti Lake. Officials asked the public to stay out of the area and give emergency crews room to work while the search continued.

The search was still active Sunday night, June 29, after the alarm was raised in the waters of the Sandoval County lake. A unified command was established with the Cochiti Fire Department, the Pueblo de Cochiti, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage the response and control access around the lake.

Cochiti Lake sits about 50 miles upstream from Albuquerque and is one of the county’s busiest recreation sites, with visitors coming for boating, fishing, hiking and day-use access. The lake has two public recreation areas, Cochiti Recreation Area on the west side and Tetilla Peak Recreation on the east side. The closures cover those areas, along with the dam and trail system that support emergency access and public use.

At Cochiti, wind direction and speed can change suddenly, no lifeguards are on duty, and swimmers and users of certain vessels and flotation devices must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

On March 29, 2025, a 16-year-old was last seen in the water with a friend who made it back to shore before rescue attempts shifted to recovery, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office said.