Where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the high plains and Pecos River, a surprising oasis teems with life. Across 25,000 ecologically diverse acres, Bitter Lake draws 357 migratory bird species—avocet, 20 types of ducks, and sandhill cranes—as well as a menagerie of other creatures, from majestic gray wolves and tiny Roswell springsnails to the Pecos pupfish that inhabit its many gypsum sinkholes. In summer, the wetlands boast one of the most varied populations of odonates (aquatic insects) in North America. DON’T MISS: The Dragonfly Festival on September 6. Spot more than 100 species of dragonflies and damselflies on guided tours, craft dragonfly art, and even try your hand at archery.
Sandhill cranes land at Bosque del Apache.
Photograph by Christina Selby.
BOSQUE DEL APACHE, SAN ANTONIO
Nestled between the Chupadera and Little San Pascual mountains, Bosque del Apache’s 57,331 acres are a vital stopover for migrating waterfowl along the Middle Río Grande. Come winter, tens of thousands of sandhill cranes, snow geese, ducks, and shorebirds descend on its wetlands, creating a feathered spectacle beloved by birders and photographers alike. “What makes the refuge special is our [12-mile] auto tour loop,” says Cari Powell, desert arboretum manager for Friends of Bosque del Apache. “It lets you see the birds up close.” DON’T MISS: The 36th annual Festival of the Cranes, December 3–7, features classes on cranes, birding, wildlife photography, and Socorro County history. “It’s a well-rounded festival with something for everyone,” says Powell, who directs the annual five-day event.
Spanish for crane, Grulla serves as an important winter roost for lesser sandhill cranes. Located in a remote area near the Texas border, the refuge’s 3,236 acres include a seasonal salt lake that draws bird-watchers year-round. In spring, hear lesser prairie chickens boom across the high plains and watch for scaled quail, pronghorn, and mule deer. From summer to early fall, copper-winged Western pygmy blues, the smallest butterflies in North America, flit among the wildflowers. DON’T MISS: The Overlook Trail offers panoramic views of the saline playa (ephemeral salt lake), where great blue herons wade after summer rains.
A cardinal meadowhawk dragonfly is one of 100 species found at Bitter Lake.
Photograph by Christina Selby.
LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS
Established in 1965 as a migratory bird refuge, these 8,672 acres on the edge of Llano Estacado harbor wetlands, grasslands, and canyons teeming with life. Bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and falcons soar above bobcats, badgers, and waterfowl. “Our elk herd is a huge draw,” says Anna Blades, acting project leader for the Northern New Mexico National Wildlife Refuges Complex. Up to 400 elk roam the refuge year-round, serenading visitors with their haunting bugles. DON’T MISS: Stroll the ADA-friendly Meadowlark Trail or take the eight-mile auto loop past McAllister Lake, where visitors once witnessed a juvenile bald eagle dive at coots for over half an hour. “They watched it all while having a picnic,” Blades says.
Ringed by extinct volcanoes, this 3,700-acre refuge shelters black-tailed prairie dogs, Western meadowlarks, and burrowing owls, which nest exclusively underground. “It’s the only refuge in the state with both fishing and primitive camping,” Blades says. Lake 13, once dry, is now stocked with rainbow trout. DON’T MISS: Led by rangers and rotated among Maxwell, Las Vegas, and Rio Mora refuges, First Day Hikes take place on the first of each month. “Each hike is unique,” says Alyssa Lu, visitor services manager for the Northern New Mexico National Wildlife Refuges Complex. “Sometimes it’s on our public-use trails, but often they’re in areas normally closed to the public.”
A red-tailed hawk roosts at Bosque del Apache.
Photograph by Shutterstock.
“We’re all about restoration, research, and education,” Blades says of Rio Mora, the only northern New Mexico refuge that wasn’t established for migratory waterfowl. “It’s kind of the oddball out.” A private ranch turned conservation area, the 4,224 acres of grasslands, woodlands, and the namesake river protect the endangered New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, a reclusive riparian species that spends most of the year hibernating. “They are only out for a little bit in the summer,” she says. DON’T MISS: Juniper Trail offers sweeping views of the Mora River canyon, where hikers might spot pronghorn, mule deer, black bears, and Pojoaque Pueblo’s bison—the first tribal herd to graze federal land.
Tucked within the restricted boundaries of White Sands Missile Range, the 57,215-acre San Andres refuge is off-limits to the public but plays a vital role in desert wildlife conservation. Established in 1941 to protect desert bighorn sheep, the refuge once saw its herd plummet to a single ewe. Thanks to years of collaboration and restoration, about 200 sheep now roam the rugged San Andres Mountains. Today the refuge functions as a natural research lab, studying wildlife, managing invasive species like African oryx, and tracking migratory birds. DON’T MISS: San Andres’s field office offers occasional volunteer opportunities and youth conservation corps programs.
Four major biomes converge at Sevilleta.
Photograph by Stefan Wachs.
Once a vast Spanish land grant, Sevilleta now stretches across 230,000 acres near Socorro, making it one of the largest wildlife refuges in the country. Four major biomes—Colorado Plateau shrub-steppe, Chihuahuan Desert, piñon/juniper woodland, and plains shortgrass prairie—collide here, fueling a wild explosion of biodiversity: 251 bird species, 80 mammals, 58 reptiles, and 15 amphibians. Gunnison’s prairie dogs and kangaroo rats tunnel beneath the soil, while kit foxes dash across the open terrain. In summer, see endangered willow flycatchers snap up insects along the Río Grande. DON’T MISS: Hike San Lorenzo Canyon to spy desert dwellers like greater roadrunners, horned toads, and bighorn sheep scampering around the canyon’s caves, sandstone cliffs, arches, and hoodoos.
Just minutes from downtown Albuquerque, a former dairy farm in the South Valley has become the Southwest’s first urban wildlife refuge. Since its creation in 2012, Valle de Oro has transformed 570 acres into a thriving habitat—and a model for grassroots conservation. “It’s unique as a restoration project spearheaded by the local community,” says park ranger Dakota Dominguez. In summer, cliff swallows nest beneath the visitor center eaves, while American kestrels, brown bats, porcupines, and roadrunners roam the grounds year-round. DON’T MISS: Walk the one-mile Field Murals loop, where billboard-size works by local artists illustrate their visions for the refuge’s future. Dominguez once spotted a mother wild turkey and her chicks right on the path.
Read more: New Mexico is helping deer, elk, bear, and big cats dodge traffic and find their way.
