New Bicycle Routes are for the Birds!

Bicyclists will be able to explore the Refuge in an exciting new way beginning in Fall 2011. The East Low Flow Conveyance Channel service road, which offers almost 9 miles of contiguous gravel roadway with little to no vehicular traffic, provides a relaxing bicycle ride with the opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of the more secretive wildlife that call the Refuge home. Other portions of the Refuge open to year round bicycling include NM Highway 1, the Point of Lands Scenic Overlook, and the two-way road bisecting the Auto Tour Loop.

During the summer months the Farm and Marsh Loops of the Auto Tour Loop will be open to bicycle traffic. To reduce disturbance to migratory waterfowl during times of peak migration, these same Loops are now closed to bicycle traffic from October 1 through March 31. Years of observation by Refuge biologists have shown that during the fall and winter, bicycling along the Tour Loops significantly disturbs the cranes, geese and ducks for which the Refuge was established. The birds are more likely to be stressed and waste energy fleeing the erratic, predator-like movement of bicycles than a vehicle or person on foot. Increased stress levels can also make wildlife more vulnerable to disease or predators.

The Refuge encourages visitors to utilize bicycles, an environmentally friendly form of alternative transportation, to enjoy their National Wildlife Refuge. These seasonal changes in bicycle use will provide miles of new trails while minimizing disturbance to wildlife at Bosque del Apache NWR.