Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
4264 E Pine Lodge Rd, Roswell, NM
Roswell, NM
A ribbon of desert wetlands along the Pecos River where tens of thousands of cranes and ducks gather each winter and rare dragonflies patrol the water in summer.
Just outside Roswell, where the Pecos River winds through the Chihuahuan Desert, a chain of spring-fed lakes, sinkholes, and salt flats creates one of the most surprising places in New Mexico, a genuine desert wetland. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge protects this rare oasis, and each year it draws vast numbers of migrating birds off the Central Flyway to rest and feed on its waters.
In winter the refuge comes alive with tens of thousands of sandhill cranes, snow geese, and ducks, filling the sky at dawn and dusk. In the warm months the water hums with dragonflies, and the refuge is counted among the finest dragonfly-watching sites in the country. An auto tour loop and short trails let visitors take it all in without disturbing the wildlife.
What Guests Love
- Watching thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese gather on the water in winter
- The wildlife auto tour loop that lets you birdwatch from your car
- One of the richest dragonfly populations anywhere in the country in the warm months
- The strange beauty of gypsum sinkholes and salt flats set against the desert
Worth Knowing
- Winter, from late fall through early spring, is the peak season for cranes, geese, and ducks
- The auto tour loop is the best way to see the refuge without disturbing the birds; stay in your vehicle where signs advise
- Bring binoculars and a field guide, since much of the wildlife is at a distance across the water
- Summer days are very hot, so early morning is best for both comfort and wildlife activity
Details
Roswell, NM
Learn about Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
A desert oasis on the Pecos
Bitter Lake exists because of water rising from underground. Springs fed by a deep aquifer bubble up along the Pecos River, some of it fresh and some of it heavy with dissolved gypsum and salt, creating a mosaic of lakes, marshes, playas, and salt flats. This mix of fresh and salty water in a dry land makes the refuge a rare and precious habitat.
The gypsum-rich water has also carved sinkholes into the ground, deep, clear pools that add to the strange character of the place. The result is a landscape found almost nowhere else, a lush, bird-filled wetland surrounded on all sides by desert, an oasis that has drawn wildlife and people for thousands of years.
Birds of the Central Flyway
Bitter Lake sits squarely on the Central Flyway, the great migratory highway that carries birds between their northern breeding grounds and southern wintering areas. Each fall the refuge fills with waterfowl, and by winter its waters hold tens of thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese, along with countless ducks, that lift off in clouds at sunrise and pour back in at dusk.
The show changes with the seasons. Spring and fall bring shorebirds and songbirds passing through, summer holds nesting birds and herons, and winter is the grand spectacle of cranes and geese. More than three hundred and fifty bird species have been recorded here over the years, making the refuge one of the premier birding destinations in the Southwest.
Dragonflies and other wildlife
Come the warm months, the refuge becomes a paradise for a smaller kind of flying wildlife. Its wetlands support one of the richest concentrations of dragonflies and damselflies in North America, with a great many species darting over the water, and it draws enthusiasts who come specifically to see them. It is a reminder that a healthy wetland teems with far more than birds.
Beyond the birds and dragonflies, the refuge is home to mule deer, coyotes, jackrabbits, and a variety of reptiles and amphibians, along with rare fish and snails found in the spring-fed waters. The salt flats and sinkholes even shelter species adapted to the mineral-heavy water, small survivors that make the refuge important to scientists as well as birdwatchers.
Visiting the refuge
The best way to experience Bitter Lake is the wildlife auto tour loop, a drive that winds past the lakes and marshes with pullouts for viewing, letting you watch birds from the quiet of your car. Short walking trails and overlooks add closer views, and a visitor contact station offers maps and current wildlife news. Binoculars or a spotting scope make an enormous difference.
Winter is the marquee season, cool and clear, with the cranes and geese at their peak. Spring and fall are pleasant and full of migrants, while summer is hot and best enjoyed in the cool of early morning, when both the birds and the dragonflies are most active. Whatever the season, dawn and dusk are the magic hours at the refuge.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Roswell
Roswell
About 10 miles, a 15 minute drive
The city famous for the 1947 UFO incident, home to the International UFO Museum and a full range of services.
Bottomless Lakes State Park
About 12 miles, a 20 minute drive
A string of deep, blue gypsum sinkhole lakes along the Pecos, New Mexico's first state park, good for swimming and camping.
Roswell Museum and Art Center
About 10 miles, a 15 minute drive
A fine regional museum with Southwestern art and a wing on rocket pioneer Robert Goddard, who worked near Roswell.
Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner
About 90 miles, a 1 hour 30 minute drive
The site memorializing the forced confinement of the Navajo and Mescalero Apache during the Long Walk era.