USFWS · National wildlife refuge · New Mexico

San Andres National Wildlife Refuge

The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southern San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico, USA. The refuge, which lies within the northernmost extension of the Chihuahuan Desert, has elevations ranging from 4,200 feet (1,300 m) to 8,239 feet (2,511 m) feet. Refuge habitats vary from creosote and Chihuahuan desert grasslands in the bajadas to pinyon-juniper woodlands at higher elevations. A few springs, seeps, and seasonal streams provide water for wildlife and riparian habitats in the refuge.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateNew Mexico
Size57,354 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 2
Center point32.6940, -106.5375
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 26)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2

    25 mi from the center point · 10 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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 2 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

57,354 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 San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is San Andres National Wildlife Refuge in?

New Mexico.

Source: How states are assigned

How do I get to San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 32.694, -106.537. White Sands National Park is 10 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Is there a fire near San Andres National Wildlife Refuge right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2 at 25 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 26 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 San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

White Sands National Park (10 mi) and Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail (24 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near San Andres National Wildlife Refuge?

2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Launch Complex 33 and Bentley, L.b., General Merchandise.

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: San Andres 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.