Photo by Stan Bravenec

Don’t panic. If you are an early bird, meeting at 5 AM shouldn’t be an issue. If you aren’t, then you will find an option below for meeting at the Bosque del Apache Visitor’s Center at 7:30 AM.

See a number of species of waterfowl, specifically the Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. You may even catch sight of some Bald Eagles as well. The only significant water source in the arid Chihuahuan Desert is the Rio Grande. In this flat-floored valley, places are prone to flooding. This floodplain supports vegetation which attracts a variety of wildlife. Many birders travel to the Bosque at this time of the year to see the migrating cranes and other birds. 400 species of birds have been observed at the Bosque del Apache. Go HERE to learn more.

Pack your binoculars and water. Dress warmly! There is a $5 per vehicle fee.

Ornithologist Star Posada will be your field trip leader/interpreter.

After your birding adventure, plan to have a chile cheese buger at the Owl Cafe in San Antonio.

2 options:

You can choose to carpool or caravan to the trailhead from El Paso at 5:00 AM. Meet Star Posada at Cabela’s near Artcraft and the freeway (MAP). You will arrive at the Bosque Center at ~7:30 AM.

Directions to the Rio Bosque from El Paso

You can also plan to find lodging in Socorro and drive less than 30 minutes to the Center in order to meet up at 7:30 AM. You can find a list of lodging HERE. You can make reservations using any of the online travel services such as Expedia.

GET RESERVATIONS NOW!

Directions to the Rio Bosque from Socorro

If you choose to stay in Socorro, you can go up early and visit the Very Large Array less than an hour west from Socorro and/or visit New Mexico Bureau of Geology Mineral Museum on the campus of the NM Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro. It is one of the best museums of its kind in the southwest.