USFWS · New Mexico

Bosque del Apache Wilderness

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...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Bosque del Apache Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateNew Mexico
Size30,427 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1975, by Congress
Center point33.7871, -106.9339
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28)

Boundary map

3 outlines

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Bosque del Apache Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.38 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowFebruary: 0.43 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowMarch: 0.40 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowApril: 0.33 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowMay: 0.42 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.53 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.67 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.91 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.31 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 0.59 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowDecember: 0.75 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 38.6°F averageFebruary: 43.5°F averageMarch: 50.7°F averageApril: 57.7°F averageMay: 66.0°F averageJune: 75.3°F averageJuly: 79.1°F averageAugust: 76.6°F averageSeptember: 69.9°F averageOctober: 58.5°F averageNovember: 47.0°F averageDecember: 38.0°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Bosque Del Apache, 3 miles from the center point at 4,512 feet, station USC00291138 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 2 inches a year on the same inches scale.

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 18 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

30,427 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Bosque del Apache Wilderness in?

New Mexico.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Bosque del Apache Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1975.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.787, -106.934. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail is 1 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 28 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 Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail (1 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Bosque del Apache Wilderness?

18 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hilton, August Holver, House and Vigil, Rufina, House.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • 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.