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 |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 37.42° N, 105.78° W |
| 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
- PrescribedMogote Campground Piles Rx
35 mi from the center point · 72 acres
- PrescribedRito Hondo Piles Rx
37 mi from the center point · 60 acres
- PrescribedMartinez Fall Rx
50 mi from the center point
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.
Guidebooks for Colorado
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Best Backpacking Trips in Montana, Wyoming, and ColoradoMike White and Douglas Lorain, 2019Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge?
12,065 acres.
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° N, 105.776° W. 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?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mogote Campground Piles Rx at 35 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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?
The National Register has 13 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 and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Photograph: the image Wikidata records for this refuge (Q4705995), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- 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.