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New Mexico

When to catch Bitter Lake Refugeat its best

Bitter Lake Refuge through the year: dragonflies and damselflies (usually: July and August) and sandhill cranes (local timing: October through December, with the peak around Thanksgiving). Each has its own page with spots, sources and the latest reports.

About Bitter Lake Refuge

What it is
A wildlife refuge in New Mexico
A little history
In 1937, to give migratory birds winter habitat. The 24,563-acre refuge is key to wetland conservation in the southwestern desert.It was first designated the Carlsbad Bird Refuge in 1935, and early on the land looked barren, with scattered stumps, sparse grasses and shrubs.
What you'll see
Dragonflies and damselflies · usual peak July and AugustSandhill cranes · Oct–Dec
Before you go
What should I bring to Bitter Lake Refuge? The refuge suggests lots of drinking water, plus sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant.
Sources (2)

RIGHT NOW · OCT 1

  • Latest reportNo dated report this season; the posters below show each usual window.
  • This weekend (NWS)Sat mostly sunny, 75°F · Sun sunny, 80°F
  • Park alertsCheck the managing agency before you go

When are you going?

Fall at Bitter Lake Refuge

Good in fall

  • Sandhill cranes, October to December (peak around Thanksgiving)

From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.

Nearby in fall

Next peak here after fall

USUAL PEAK · DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIESBitter Lake RefugeDragonflies and damselfliesWildlife refugeJuly and AugustU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
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Where to go at Bitter Lake Refuge

Spots, visitor points and places nearby
  • Winter

Visitor points on this map: Butterfly Trail Observation Deck (0.1 mi) · Dragonfly Observation Tower (0.8 mi) · Pajaro Trail Observation Blind (1.1 mi) · Overlook #2 (1.5 mi) · Wildlife Drive Picnic Area (2 mi) · Overlook #3 (2.6 mi) · Hunter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Area (2.8 mi)

Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census.

Best spots

Where each event's source says to go
  • Wildlife DriveGood for dragonflies and damselflies · sandhill cranesA 6.5-mile drive past moist soil units, wetlands, slow springs, shrubs and grasslandsU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Pajáro Bird BlindGood for dragonflies and damselflies · sandhill cranesA permanent photo and birding blind off the Wildlife Drive's southeast side, looking onto a wetland unit for wading and dabbling birdsU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Next 7 days at Bitter Lake Refuge

Forecast: National Weather Service
  • TodaySunny76° / 55°10% rain
  • FriMostly Cloudy70° / 52°13% rain
  • SatMostly Sunny75° / 54°1% rain
  • SunSunny80° / 54°9% rain
  • MonMostly Sunny78° / 53°10% rain
  • TueSunny82° / 54°11% rain
  • WedSunny84° / –10% rain

Heads up: Windy (winds up to 20 mph): Thursday, Thursday Night, Friday.

Today: sunrise 6:53 a.m., sunset 6:43 p.m., light until 7:08 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 67% lit (our calculation)

Worth the drive, and when they peak

Straight-line miles; roads are longer

Also nearby: Lookout Mountain Alpine Tundra, Lincoln National Forest 81 mi · Carlsbad Caverns National Park 89 mi · Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge 100 mi

Towns nearby

Straight-line miles; each town page has frost dates and its nature year

Bitter Lake Refuge in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
Pale water and marsh flats below reddish bluffs under a grey sky
Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Photo: Joel Deluxe · Original image · CC BY 2.0 · cropped to the middle third, resized
Pecos River flowing through Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell
Pecos River flowing through Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell. Photo: J Dykstra · public domain · resized

Questions people ask

How do I get there?

It's 7 miles northeast of Roswell: from the north side of town, take US 285 (Main Street) north to Pine Lodge Road, then east about 6 miles to the refuge entrance.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake NWR: Visit us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Are there restrooms?

Inside the visitor center during business hours, and primitive toilets at the Desert Upland Trailhead on the southwest part of the Wildlife Drive.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake NWR: Visit us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Can I bike?

Yes, on the Wildlife Drive or the refuge's four-mile (round trip) bike trail.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake NWR: Visit us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When was Bitter Lake Refuge established?

In 1937, to give migratory birds winter habitat. The 24,563-acre refuge is key to wetland conservation in the southwestern desert.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

Every timing above, from these pages; checked Sep 28