Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

This wildlife refuge provides a safe habitat for an abundance of migratory birds, as well as other native species of fish and mammals.

The Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is situated on the Pecos River in Chaves County, New Mexico. This US National Wildlife Refuge is nearly 25,000 acres in size and offers a combination of landscapes for the animals, from the Chihuahua Desert that phases into a peaceful grass prairie to the river and wetlands that different native species of fish call home. The refuge was founded in the 1930s to provide a safe habitat for migratory species, especially birds. Birds such as the snow goose, sandhill crane, blue heron, snowy egret, and red-tailed hawk are just a few of the birds from the lengthy list of species that are commonly seen at the refuge. You have the chance to run into many other animals like deer, bobcats, beavers, and foxes at Bitter Lake during the right time of year, too.

The Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides a number of different outdoor pastimes for visitors to enjoy, from seasonal hunting and fishing to leisurely activities like birdwatching and strolling on any of the four trails that are presented here. There is even an 8-mile-long wildlife drive through the refuge that makes for an ideal way to see as much wildlife as possible from the comfort and ease of your car. The refuge is open every day from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, so you can play for a full day of fun with your friends and family that want to be surrounded by some of the most incredible natural beauty that the American Southwest has to offer.