Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
The Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge is an 11,169-acre (4,520 ha) United States National Wildlife Refuge located in southern Colorado. The site is located in the San Luis Valley along the east side of the Rio Grande approximately 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Alamosa primarily in southeastern Alamosa County, although very small parts extend into northeastern Conejos and western Costilla counties. It is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service jointly with the Baca and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges. It was established in 1962 as a haven for migratory birds and other wildlife.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 12,065 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 37.4211, -105.7757 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 25) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBlanca Wetlands Rx
10 mi from the center point · 208 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5 miPike's Stockade ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.6 mi
- 0.7 miDenver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot ↗Alamosa, CO
- 0.7 miAmerican National Bank Building ↗Alamosa, CO
- 0.7 miFirst Baptist Church ↗Alamosa, CO
- 0.8 miHusung Hardware ↗Alamosa, CO
- 0.8 miSt. Thomas Episcopal Church ↗Alamosa, CO
- 0.9 miAlamosa County Courthouse ↗Alamosa, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
12,065 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
How do I get to Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.421, -105.776. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is 25 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Blanca Wetlands Rx at 10 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 25 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
13 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Pike's Stockade and Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Locomotive No.169.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.