Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Located where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the southern plains, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for some of the rarest creatures in New Mexico. Established in 1937 to provide habitat for thousands of migrating sandhill cranes and waterfowl, the 24,536 acre Refuge is popular for its diverse flora and fauna.

Straddling the Pecos River, the Refuge consists of an assortment of water habitats surrounded by a harsh, dry environment. The waters support unique wildlife, such as the Pecos pupfish, Roswell spring snail, green throat darter, Mexican tetra, and Noel's amphipod, along with approximately 65 species of dragonflies.

Native grasslands, sand dunes, brushy bottomlands, and red-rimmed plateaus provide a sharp contrast to the wetland habitats of the Refuge. Roadrunners, scaled quail, and horned lizards are commonly seen in these drier areas.

The refuge protects and provides habitat for some of New Mexico's most rare and unusual creatures such as the least shrew, Noel's amphipod, least tern, Pecos sunflower, and Roswell spring snail.

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of the more biologically significant wetland areas of the Pecos River watershed system. Established in 1937 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, the refuge plays a crucial role in the conservation of wetlands in the desert Southwest.

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