Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Bosque del Apache is the crown jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System and the best location for bird photography in the United States. The refuge serves as a winter home for tens of thousands of snow geese and Sandhill cranes.

Bosque he is located 9 miles south of Socorro New Mexico and comprises nearly 60,000 acres along the Rio Grande River and is critical for sandhill cranes and other migratory birds providing food protection and shelter.

One of the highlights of a winter visit to the refuge is a morning flight out or blastoff which is a sight and sound you must experience in person to fully appreciate. Thousands of snow geese take off all at the same time creating a solid mass of waiting before your eyes.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge was founded in 1939 and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is a favorite spot to watch the migration of the Sandhill cranes in the fall. The reserve is open year-round and provides safe harbor for its varied wildlife.

The name of the refuge means “woods of the Apache” in Spanish, named for the Apache tribes that once camped in the forests along the Rio Grande.

The heart of the refuge comprises approximately 3,800 acres of Rio Grande floodplain and 9,100 acres of irrigated farms and wetlands. In addition to this, the refuge contains 44,300 acres of arid grasslands and foothills of the Chupadera and San Pascual Mountains. About 30,000 acres of this is designated as wilderness. A twelve-mile-long  loop road divided by a cutoff into a “Farm Loop” and “Marsh Loop” allows automobile drivers excellent views of wetland wildlife and raptors.  The road affords good views of the fields where crops are grown for the benefit of the birds under cooperative agreements with farmers. Adjacent to the Visitor’s Center, a desert plant garden is maintained.

What to Photograph

The primary opportunity for photography is the thousands of geese and Sandhill Cranes that make Bosque del Apache their winter home.  The best time to photograph these birds is from mid November until mid February.

Thousands of Snow Geese take off at sunrise at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

Where it is:

Directions

•  From the north (Socorro, NM), drive south on I-25 to exit 139 (San Antonio), go east 0.25 miles on US 380 to the flashing signal at the village of San Antonio, turn right onto Old Highway 1, and drive south nine miles to the Visitor Center (on right).

•  From the south (Las Cruces, NM), drive north on I-25 to exit 124 (San Marcial), go east on the dirt road 1.5 miles, then north on Old Highway 1 to the visitor center (on left).

Sandhill Crames at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

Maps:

Interactive Google Map

Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.

Links:

Bosque del Apache Website

Hours:

The tour loop is open every day from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, year-round.

Members of the public are not allowed to enter closed areas. This includes walking, biking, or driving. Please obey all area closed signs.

Daily Entrance Fee — $5
Single private, non-commercial vehicle rate (including pedestrian and bicycles)

Daily Entrance Fee for Single Commercial Vehicle — $50
Fifteen passenger van or tour bus

Bosque del Apache Annual Pass – $15
Annual entrance pass to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Good for one year from the month purchased. Available to the general public.

Federal Duck Stamp – $25
Permits entrance to all National Wildlife Refuges that charge an entrance fee. Valid July 1 – June 30. Available to the general public.

Annual Pass – $80
Annual entrance pass to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. Available to the general public.

Annual Pass for Active Duty Military – Free
Annual entrance pass to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. Available to active duty military members with proper identification.

Senior Pass – Annual – $20
Annual entrance pass to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. Available to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. that are age 62 or older.

Senior Pass – Lifetime – $80
Annual entrance pass to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. Available to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. that are age 62 or older.

Access Pass – No fee
Lifetime entrance pass to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. No fee. Available to citizens of the U.S. that are permanently disabled.

4th Grade Pass – No fee
Permits entrance to National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. Available to 4th graders with valid voucher. Learn more and obtain voucher: everykidoutdoors.gov

Facilities:

Location Contact Information:

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Photo Gallery

Click Here for full page gallery

More Photographic Destinations in New Mexico:

Interactive Google Map

Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.

Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State