Plan Your Visit

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Welcome to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.


Know Before You Go 

 

To protect wildlife and the habitat they depend upon, please be a good steward of your public lands by:

  • Staying on marked roads and trails. Temporary barricades and/or Area Closed signs protect nesting, roosting, and feeding areas and protect visitors from hazardous situations. We do not allow members of the public to enter closed areas. This includes walking, biking, or driving. Please obey all area closed signs. 
  • Packing out whatever you pack in.
  • Practicing “Leave No Trace” principles throughout the refuge.
  • Treating all wildlife with respect – and giving them a respectful distance.
  • Protecting yourself by being prepared.  

    Visitor Center and Nature Store

    *Please note, as of 3/26/20, vault toilets, the Visitor Center, and adjacent restrooms are currently closed. (There are currently portable toilets in the visitor center parking lot and at the Flight Deck and Rio Viejo Trailhead, open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset)

    The Nature Store, run by the Friends of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, is open limited hours and is available 24 hours a day online. 

    Auto Tour Loop

    Open every day from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset (year-round), the Auto Tour Loop is approximately 12 miles long, bisected by a two-way road. Please observe one-way directional signs.

    • Drive carefully on gravel roads and stay on designated roads and turnouts.
    • Pull over to allow others to pass safely – Auto Tour Loop roads are wide.
    • Observe posted speed limits – the maximum speed limit on the Auto Tour Loop is 25 mph and some sections are posted 10 mph.
    • Plan for vehicles ahead of you to stop suddenly – most likely they are watching wildlife.

    Learn more about Entrance Fees associated with the Auto Tour Loop.

    Restroom Facilities

    *Please note, as of 3/26/20, vault toilets, the Visitor Center, and adjacent restrooms are currently closed.  

    There are currently portable toilets in the visitor center parking lot and at the Flight Deck and Rio Viejo Trailhead, open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset

    Parking

    The visitor center parking lot can accommodate motor homes as well as cars. You are welcome to unhitch and use your tow vehicle on the Auto Tour Loop, but it is not required (the Auto Tour Loop is a wide gravel road with few overhanging branches). Parking is available at each of the trailheads.

    Check out the Visitor Activities Section to continue planning your Bosque del Apache experience.

     

    Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.