Be aware that prescribed burn prescribed burn
A prescribed burn is the controlled use of fire to restore wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk, or achieve other habitat management goals. We have been using prescribed burn techniques to improve species habitat since the 1930s.
Learn more about prescribed burn projects east of Roswell on on Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge will potentially occur from Feb. 16 to Feb. 22, 2026. The prescribed burns will produce a very large visible smoke column for several hours and should dissipate quickly throughout the afternoon hours. If forecasted or actual weather conditions fall outside the parameters of the prescribed plan, the burns will be postponed and rescheduled.
The tour loop may be closed during the prescribed burn to ensure the safety of the public and firefighters. For more information, call the refuge at 575-244-6256.
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is truly an oasis in the desert. Watch in awe of more than 26,000 sandhill cranes during fall migration or one of more than 100 species of dragonflies and damselflies dancing in the air.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
Located where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Southern Plains in southeast New Mexico, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biologically significant wetland areas of the Pecos River watershed system. Established in 1937 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, the 24,563-acre refuge plays a crucial role in the conservation of wetlands in the southwestern desert. The unusually diverse wetlands combined with its gypsum karst topography support a variety of plant and animal communities that thrive on the refuge. The native grasslands, vegetated sand dunes, brushy bottomlands, and red-rimmed plateaus provide a sharp contrast to the wetlands of Bitter Lake. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is an oasis in the desert.
What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of the nation’s wildlife resources and conserving the natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Our Species
Bitter Lake is an ecological crossroad where the Chihuahuan Desert meets short grass prairie, the Pecos River, and the Roswell Artesian Basin. The blending of these different ecological conditions has created some unusual biological conditions. Here you will find wetland-dependent species interacting with desert creatures.