Introduction

The United States Congress designated the Bosque del Apache Wilderness (map) in 1975 and it now has a total of 30,427 acres. All of this wilderness is located in New Mexico and is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Description

On a quiet day in November you'll hear the haunting cry of sandhill cranes echoing across the marsh and grasslands of 57,191-acre Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Amazing to think that in 1939, when the refuge was established, the crane count averaged a sobering 17. That figure has since soared to 17,000. Add to that impressive tally 30,000 snow geese, 20,000-plus ducks (at least 14 species), endangered whooping cranes, Canada geese, Gambel's quail, pheasants, roadrunners, and more than 300 other winged species and banner birding is a given.

A few landlubbers have strayed into this bona fide bird society, including mule deer, coyotes, porcupines, and western diamondback rattlesnakes. If your eyes aren't glued to binoculars, you may want to study the thirteenth-century pueblo ruins of the Piro Indians or the vestiges of El Camino Real ("The Royal Road"), the route between Mexico and Santa Fe from the late 1500s to the mid-1800s. The refuge, sheltered by the Magdalena Mountains, is split in two by the hushed flow of the Rio Grande. Apache Indians once camped along the river in cottonwood and willow bosques, little stands of trees long since lost to human development.

The Bosque del Apache Wilderness is split into three sections within the refuge. They are the 5,429-acre Chupadera Unit, walled off from the rest of the refuge by Interstate 25; the 5,139-acre Indian Well Unit, just across the interstate from the Chupadera Unit; and the Little San Pascual Unit, which covers 19,859 acres just east of the Rio Grande. For the first time, on September 25, 2009, the Fish and Wildlife Service accepted a donation of land that became part of the wilderness. Friends of the Bosque del Apache NWR, a non-profit organization established to support the Refuge, donated 140 acres to the Chupadera Unit, which includes the peak of Chupadera Mountain, a dramatic backdrop for photographing the many bird species.

The three units hold in common a lack of water, but otherwise offer distinctive terrains. Arroyos divide the Chupadera's series of small ridges and mesas, while Indian Well has rounded mountains along its western side and arroyos and mesas on its gentler eastern side. The largest unit rolls gently across desert terrain, sharpening to a peak at Little San Pascual Mountain. Day hiking is allowed, however camping camp fires are not permitted.

Planning to Visit the Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

• Print a fact sheet
• General things to consider when visiting any wilderness
• Regulations
• Contact the Fish and Wildlife Service
• Other recommended websites

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the Bosque del Apache Wilderness.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.