Baca National Wildlife Refuge
The Baca National Wildlife Refuge is a 78,697-acre (31,848 ha) United States National Wildlife Refuge located in southern Colorado. It is within the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 85,815 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 37.8697, -105.8031 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBlanca Wetlands Rx
23 mi from the center point · 208 acres
- WildfireAspen Acres
41 mi from the center point · 102,004 acres · 82% contained
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
- 0.9 miFirst Baptist Church of Moffat ↗Moffat, CO
- 1.2 miCreststone School ↗Crestone, CO
- 1.2 miHoward Store ↗Hooper, CO
- 9.7 miZapata Ranch Headquarters ↗Mosca, CO
- 11.5 mi
- 12.7 miWillows School ↗Westcliffe, CO
- 14.8 miSaguache School and Jail Buildings ↗Saguache, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
85,815 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 Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Baca National Wildlife Refuge in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is North Crestone Creek Campground, 3.7 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.870, -105.803. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is 7 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Baca National Wildlife Refuge right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Blanca Wetlands Rx at 23 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
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 Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (7 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Baca National Wildlife Refuge?
7 National Register listings within 15 miles, including First Baptist Church of Moffat and Creststone School.
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: Baca 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.