|
Recreation
General
Bitter Lake NWR offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. The refuge is open year round during daylight hours (dawn to dusk). No entrance fee is required. Joseph R. Skeen Visitor Center (Visitor Center) hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Restroom facilities are available at the Visitor Center during open hours and are also available on the wildlife drive.
Hiking
Four
short (less than 0.5 miles each) and two longer
(1.5 - 4 miles) hiking trails are
available adjacent to the wildlife drive or Refuge
headquarters. Also the entire north tract (12,160
acres) of the refuge, including the wilderness area,
is open to hiking and horseback riding.
Description of
Trails.pdf
Hunting
Waterfowl,
sandhill crane, quail, dove, pheasant and deer hunting
are available at the refuge. Contact the refuge
for updated hunting regulations and season dates
at (575) 622-6755 or by e-mailing Steve
Alvarez at steve_alvarez@fws.gov.
Hunting
Regulations.pdf
Public Hunting Areas (567KB, .pdf)
Hunt Seasons (.pdf)
Fishing
Fishing is prohibited at Bitter
Lake NWR to protect rare native fish.
Wildlife Observation
& Photography
The refuge offers excellent nature
photography and wildlife viewing opportunities. The eight-mile wildlife drive
is one of the best ways to observe wildlife. If you enjoy
dragonfly watching, try taking the short Dragonfly Trail less than one mile
on the wildlife drive.
Bicycling
Bike
riding is permitted on the eight-mile gravel
wildlife drive or the refuge's paved four mile
(round trip) bike trail.
Guided
Tours
Endangered
species tours are regularly scheduled from October
through May on the first Saturday of each month.
These special tours take visitors into areas
normally closed to the public to be shown some
of the unique sinkholes and springs protected
by the refuge. Reservations required.
Friends
of Bitter Lake NWR. |
