Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located in southern Colorado. The refuge is located in the San Luis Valley south of the town of Monte Vista, Colorado in southeastern Rio Grande County, Colorado, in the watershed of the Rio Grande. It was established in 1953 by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission to provide a habitat for wildlife, particularly waterfowl, in the San Luis Valley.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 16,250 acres |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 37.49° N, 106.09° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
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.
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.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. 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
- PrescribedMogote Campground Piles Rx
30 mi from the center point · 72 acres
- PrescribedRito Hondo Piles Rx
34 mi from the center point · 60 acres
- PrescribedWolf Creek Piles Rx
39 mi from the center point · 2 acres
- PrescribedEast Bench Piles Rx
50 mi from the center point · 5 acres
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
- 2.3 miMt. Pleasant School ↗Alamosa, CO
- 5.1 miUs Post Office and Federal Building--Monte Vista Main ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.2 miCarnegie Library ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.2 miMonte Vista Library ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.3 miFirst Methodist Episcopal Church ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.3 miCentral School Auditorium and Gymnasium ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.4 miEl Monte Hotel ↗Monte Vista, CO
- 5.4 miMonte Vista Downtown Historic District ↗Monte Vista, 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 Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge?
16,250 acres.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge page says whether camping is allowed here. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.488° N, 106.085° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mogote Campground Piles Rx at 30 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge?
The National Register has 19 listings within 15 miles, including Mt. Pleasant School and Us Post Office and Federal Building--Monte Vista Main.
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 (Q6904953), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- Description: Monte Vista 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.