Williams Lake, Glacial lake in Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico, United States

Williams Lake is a glacial lake in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, sitting in Carson National Forest just below Wheeler Peak. The lake occupies a rocky bowl shaped by glaciers, surrounded by high-altitude conifers that thin out near the shoreline.

The lake is named after William Frazer, a gold miner who staked claims in the area and co-founded the mining camp of Twining in the late 1800s. The camp lay near the trailhead in Taos Ski Valley, and the lake's basin itself was carved by glaciers in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

The lake's name recalls William Frazer, a gold miner who staked claims in the area and co-founded the mining camp of Twining in the late 1800s. The Williams Lake Trail from Taos Ski Valley is the route most visitors use to reach the water.

The trail to the lake starts from the Taos Ski Valley area and climbs steadily, moving from forested sections into open rocky terrain near the top. Getting an early start is a good idea, since afternoon thunderstorms are common at this elevation.

The lake holds no fish: it freezes through in winter, so stocked or native fish cannot survive in it. The name honors William Frazer, a gold miner who staked claims in the area and co-founded the mining camp of Twining in the late 1800s.