Laws and Regulations

  • Public access to the refuge is restricted by White Sands Missile Range, an active military missile testing facility. No public entry is permitted onto refuge lands due to safety and security restrictions imposed by White Sands Missile Range. There are no recreational opportunities available to the public on the refuge. 
  • The refuge administrative office is located in Las Cruces and is open to the public. The address for the office is: 5686 Santa Gertrudis Dr., Las Cruces, New Mexico 88012. Office Phone Number: (575) 382-5047. Please call before coming to the office to assure that a staff member is in the office to greet you. 
  • Desert bighorn and oryx hunting on White Sands Missile Range is managed by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) and the White Sands Missile Range hunt program  For more information, contact NMDGF at  (575) 532-2100 or the White Sands Missile Range Hunt Coordinator at 575-678-7909. 

Help us keep wildlife wild by following these simple rules:  

  • Do not approach or disturb wildlife.  
  • Do not feed wildlife. 
  • Do not leave anything behind or take anything from refuge lands.