Winter is the prime time of the year for visiting Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge’s migrating birds. Built in 1939 along the Rio Grande, the refuge is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Bosque del Apache’s 57,331 acres include a scenic, 12-mile loop road, an observation blind and hiking trails. The terrain contains a variety of ecosystems, such as wetlands, grasslands, mesquite savannas and cottonwood forests.
Although the Refuge is home to over 300 bird species, it is the truly gigantic flocks of thousands and thousands of snow geese and sandhill cranes that make this an astounding attraction. I visited the Refuge on the day after Christmas, and, although I’m personally not a committed “birder,” I was mightily impressed!
