America's Byways and National Wildlife Refuges
El Camino Real (New Mexico)

While El Camino Real celebrates diverse history and scenery, it is also home to three wildlife refuges: Bosque del Apache, Sevilleta and San Andres. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which straddles the byway just south of Socorro, houses tens of thousands of birds. Stop by during autumn or winter months when sandhill cranes, Arctic geese, and ducks find respite at the refuge. Visit Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, also on the byway, to find a broad range of nature; thousands of species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians make their homes here. You'll likely see mule deer, coyote, pronghorn antelope, red-tailed hawks, roadrunners, sandhill cranes, and more. San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, located about 25 miles east of the southern end of the byway, provides a crucial home for desert bighorn sheep, a state-listed endangered species, as well as mule deer, javelina, and mountain lions.

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