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Live · updated todayTypical peak look

Bitter Lake Refugewinter wildlife

Sandhill cranes arrive at the refuge in October and stay through December, with the peak around Thanksgiving, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (Oct 1–Dec 31). No official report yet this season.

Right now in Bitter Lake Refuge · September

  • Visitor center open Mon–Sat, 9 am–4 pm (early September to early June) · Sep–Jun

3days to the next winter wildlife seasonOct 1–Dec 31, local timing

Local timing
Oct 1–Dec 31
General timing for this place: not a peak date, and not a forecast.

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge through the year

  • Visitor center open Mon–Sat, 9 am–4 pm (early September to early June)NowSep–Jun
  • Sandhill cranes, October to December (peak around Thanksgiving)Oct–Dec
  • Ducks: pintails, mallards, canvasbacks, gadwalls, shovelers and four kinds of tealOct–Mar
  • Snow geeseNov–Mar

Where to watch

  • Wildlife DriveA 6.5-mile drive past wetlands, moist soil units, slow springs, shrubs and grasslands, with six trails near it and the visitor center
  • Pajáro Bird BlindA permanent photography and birdwatching blind off the southeast side of the Wildlife Drive

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 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped to the middle third, resized

How we know

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake NWR: Visit us (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bitter Lake NWR: Species (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)

All our sources and how we use them →

Questions people ask

When is the best time to see winter wildlife at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

Sandhill cranes arrive at the refuge in October and stay through December, with the peak around Thanksgiving, per the Fish and Wildlife Service: Oct 1–Dec 31. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.

Is it wildlife season at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge right now?

Not now: the winter wildlife season is over for this year. The next one starts in about 3 days (Oct 1–Dec 31, local timing).

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)

Where are the best spots in Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

Wildlife Drive: a 6.5-mile drive past wetlands, moist soil units, slow springs, shrubs and grasslands, with six trails near it and the visitor center; Pajáro Bird Blind: a permanent photography and birdwatching blind off the southeast side of the Wildlife Drive.

What is Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?

Sandhill cranes, October to December (peak around Thanksgiving) (Oct–Dec), Ducks: pintails, mallards, canvasbacks, gadwalls, shovelers and four kinds of teal (Oct–Mar), Snow geese (Nov–Mar) and Visitor center open Mon–Sat, 9 am–4 pm (early September to early June) (Sep–Jun).