Amigos de la Sevilleta

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Amigos de la Sevilleta

Amigos de la Sevilleta (Amigos) is the Friends Group of Sevilleta National Wildlife. Dedicated to preserving natural and historical resources. Join us or donate.

Amigos de la Sevilleta (Amigos) is the Friends Group for Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Since 2007, we have worked to help with education and research at the refuge. We are dedicated to preserving the natural and historical resources in the 359 square miles of the refuge. Members make Amigos possible and membership is open to all. Amigos de la Sevilleta raises money through member’s fees and

special events. Grants and store sales also contribute. We help by volunteering in a variety of jobs at the refuge. We educate people about the refuge through our newsletter and at tours and activities at the refuge and in the surrounding communities. https://www.amigosdelasevilleta.org/membership

05/31/2026

Enjoy some photographs from the Diamond tour at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge on May 29. Photo credits go to Kevin Lane who was on the trip. They saw B***owing Owls, Pronghorn and rattlesnakes, oh my!

05/23/2026

On Wednesday, May 13, four more Bolson tortoises were released into the soft pen at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. This brings the total number of Bolson tortoises on the Refuge to fifty!

05/20/2026

Have you ever wondered what lies beyond the “Area Closed” signs at one of the largest National Wildlife Refuges in the United States? Now’s your chance to find out! Join refuge staff for a special guided vehicle tour into areas of the refuge that are normally closed to the public.

Available Tours:

Diamond Tour
May 27, 29, 30, and 31 | 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Travel near the base of the picturesque Los Pinos Mountains through expansive prairie and desert habitat. Along the way, you may spot pronghorn, oryx, prairie dogs, burrowing owls, and other wildlife.

West Mesa Tour
May 26 | 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Take in dramatic overlooks of the Middle Rio Grande Valley and Sierra Ladrone Mountains while exploring unique geologic formations on the west side of the refuge. Participants may even catch a glimpse of bighorn sheep among the cliffs.

Birding Tour
May 28 | 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Join the refuge biologist for a morning of birding along the Rio Grande and within the refuge wetland units. This tour offers excellent opportunities to observe a variety of bird species.

Los Pinos Tour
Thank you to everyone who signed up! The Los Pinos tour is now fully booked.

Registration Required

Tour vehicle seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your seat, please contact Wildlife Refuge Specialist Ethan Hammer by May 21 at:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (505) 864-4021 ext. 2

All tours are free and open to the public.

We hope to see you on one of the tours!

Photo depicts a pronghorn visible from the Diamond.

05/13/2026

Join Refuge staff for behind-the-scene tours at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge!

Explore one of the largest National Wildlife Refuges in the lower 48 states through a series of guided morning tours led by refuge staff.

West Mesa
Visit one of the Refuge’s most remote and visually striking areas.
May 26
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

The Diamond
Discover the Refuge’s purpose and land history while exploring wildlife-filled landscapes.
May 27, 29, 30 & 31
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Wetland Units A & B
Enjoy a morning of birding alongside the Refuge Biologist.
May 28
6:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Los Pinos Mountains
Explore piñon-juniper forests that provide habitat for some of the Refuge’s largest wildlife species.
June 1
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Registration is required!

Tour vehicle seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your seat, contact Wildlife Refuge Specialist Ethan Hammer by May 21 at [email protected]
or (505) 864-4021 ext. 2. These tours are free and open to the public.

05/12/2026

A beautiful Prickly Pear cactus bloom on the Nature Loop Trail at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday, May 6th. Photo by Jan Gribble.

04/29/2026

On Wednesday, April 22, sixteen more juvenile Bolson tortoises were released into temporary holding pens at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. The temporary pens will help the tortoises acclimate to the area and allow Refuge personnel to monitor them more easily.

The tortoises range in age from approximately 7 to 13 years and came from the Turner Endangered Species Fund's captive breeding project. Before release, Refuge staff assess each tortoise's health, weigh it, and measure its shell. Tortoises are then tagged with an identification number, outfitted with a transmitter and given a brief soak to help them rehydrate before release. The transmitters allow Refuge personnel to monitor tortoise locations, even when they are deep in burrows where these desert-dwellers spend a large portion of their time.

Thanks to Joan Kopietz and Anne Doerpinghaus for the photos.

04/27/2026

Amgios de la Sevilleta will host a full moon hike this Thursday evening, April 30. Meet at 6:30 pm at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge gate (west side of I-25 at exit 169). Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing, bring water, and be prepared for a 4-mile hike including some steep pitches. If you do bring a light or headlamp, be sure it has a red filter or red LEDs. We currently have 7 participants signed up plus our intrepid hike leader, Jim Ruff. If you are interested in joining and experiencing the desert at night, please send an email to [email protected] so we know how many people to expect.

09/11/2025

Hello Folks!
The Amigos de la Sevilleta page is back online!

Last month we hosted our annual Butterfly Count, and it was a great success. 🦋 Check out our photos to see the tour highlights, the species we spotted, and even a surprise critter-- a walking stick!

In total, we counted 182 individuals across 15 species (see the attached table for details).

Want to stay connected? Visit our website: https://www.amigosdelasevilleta.org/ for upcoming events and our newsletter.

03/31/2025

The headquarters area and the UNM field station, as seen looking east from the top of the Mesa View trail. The refuge includes the Pinos Mountains in the distance.

03/13/2025

Wild horses at B***o Well earlier today. Yes, they're an invasive species... but they don't know that!

Address

I-25, Exit 169
Socorro, NM
87801

Telephone

+15058644021

Website

http://www.amigosdelasevilleta.org/

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