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Seven geese heads poking out of wetland plants
Goose Hunt at Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge

Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge has adopted Recreation.gov for hunting permits. Goose Hunt permits for the 2024 season will open at 8am MT/10am ET on September 3, 2024.

Recreation.gov logo, bring home a story!
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Welcome to Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge where you can find several opportunities to enjoy your public land! This refuge has many unique features that make it a valuable sanctuary for the natural resources of the southwest and the people of New Mexico. The gently rolling prairies of the east abruptly meet the rugged terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Creston, gravel-capped mesas and buttes on the west, and the deep, narrow river canyons of the Gallinas River and Vegosa Creek on the south. The distinct landscape, diversity of biological communities, and secluded location are inherent characteristics that contribute to the area’s value as a natural preserve. This provides wonderful opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography, and hunting during state regulated seasons.
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, peach building with a green roof
Visitor Center Hours

The Las Vegas Visitor Center Core Hours are from 9am to 3pm with staff availability. The days the Visitor Center is open are listed below. For more information please call the office at (505) 425-3581.

Tuesday: OPEN / CLOSED PM

Wednesday: CLOSED

Thursday: OPEN

Friday: CLOSED

Saturday: OPEN - FALL FLIGHT FESTIVAL 

A red-tailed hawk flying in a empty blue sky.
Fall Flight Festival
Join the Friend of the Northern NM Refuges and enjoy the sounds and sights of migration on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm.

Visit Us

mountain view and prairie grasslands
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National Wildlife Refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Welcome to the Other Las Vegas, a place where you can do just that! Come rejuvenate your soul by enjoying nature at Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, located in the State of New Mexico, Land of Enchantment. Enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, photography, and hunting. The views are magnificent at this beautiful Refuge. What happens here, stays with you, an experience you will want to share with everyone! 

Location and Contact Information

      Fall Flight Festival - November 23rd 2024

      Our Fall Flight Festival will be open to the public Saturday November 23rd, 2024 from 9am to 12pm. Join us to watch and learn about migratory waterfowl, while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature! Refuge staff will also be hosting archer during the event and hosting a biologist talk at 12:30pm.

      About Us

      View of Hermits Peak from the Las Vegas NWR Visitor's Center
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      Spanish for ‘the meadows,’ Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge’s dates as far back as 8,000 BC when early North Americans inhabited the high plains area. The area is full of rich history, and you can even catch a glimpse of the famous Hermit's Peak here!

      Strategically located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the edge of El Llano Estacado, the 8,672-acre refuge overlaps three unique landscapes, including the Rocky Mountains and eastern prairies. This combination of habitats provides a haven for many species of wildlife, all of which you can enjoy! 

      What We Do

      Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, a building with a green roof and brown exterior
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      The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the Refuge. 

      Here at Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, we contribute to conservation by managing habitats, wildlife populations, and educating the public. 

      Our Species

      Swanson's Hawk sitting on post
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      The sandhill cranes arrive in the fall as they migrate to their winter home. Bald eagles, northern harriers, Swainson's hawks, and American kestrels are frequently sighted soaring above the refuge scanning the grasslands for prey or attracted to the hundreds of ducks and geese on the refuge’s open waters. Migrating shorebirds like long-billed dowitchers and sandpipers, probe the mudflats in early fall and spring. In the woodlands, wild turkeys wander in search of a meal and on the prairies. Rocky Mountain elk blend into the grasses, home to badgers and ground squirrels.