Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge

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.The refuge is a major stopover for migrating greater sandhill cranes moving between their wintering area around Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico and breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada.At present, several hundred elk may be seen on the refuge seeking winter food and sanctuary from hunting pressure on nearby public lands.Waverly is roughly 5 miles southeast of Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge.
IUCN categoryRio Grande CountyColoradoUnited StatesMonte Vista, ColoradoU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational Wildlife RefugeSan Luis ValleyRio Grande County, ColoradoRio GrandeMigratory Bird Conservation CommissionwaterfowlagriculturalIrrigationwetlandwet meadowsArtesian wellssandhill cranesBosque del Apache National Wildlife RefugeNew MexicoCanadawhooping cranescold desert climateKöppencold semi-arid climateprecipitationProtected areas of ColoradoFederal4 National ParksBlack Canyon of the GunnisonGreat Sand DunesMesa VerdeRocky Mountain9 National MonumentsBrowns CanyonCamp Hale-Continental DivideCanyons of the AncientsChimney RockDinosaurFlorissant Fossil BedsHovenweepYucca House3 National Historic SitesAmacheBent's Old FortSand Creek Massacre2 National Recreation AreasArapahoCurecanti1 Wild and Scenic RiverCache la Poudre River4 National Historic TrailsCalifornia TrailOld Spanish TrailPony Express TrailSanta Fe Trail1 National Scenic TrailContinental Divide Trail11 National ForestsGrand MesaGunnisonMedicine Bow–RouttRooseveltSan IsabelSan JuanUncompahgreWhite River2 National GrasslandsComanchePawnee44 National WildernessesBlack Ridge CanyonsBuffalo PeaksByers PeakCache La PoudreCollegiate PeaksComanche PeakDominguez CanyonEagles NestFlat TopsFossil RidgeGreenhorn MountainGunnison GorgeHermosa CreekHoly CrossHunter–FryingpanIndian PeaksJames PeakLa GaritaLizard HeadLost CreekMaroon Bells-SnowmassMount EvansMount MassiveMount SneffelsMount ZirkelNever SummerPlatte RiverPowderhornPtarmigan PeakRaggedsRocky Mountain National ParkSangre de CristoSarvis CreekSouth San JuanSpanish PeaksVasquez PeakWeminucheWest Elk3 National Conservation AreasDominguez–EscalanteMcInnis Canyons8 National Wildlife RefugesAlamosaBrowns ParkRocky FlatsRocky Mountain ArsenalTwo Ponds3 National Heritage AreasCache la Poudre River CorridorSouth Park28 National Historic LandmarksBeaver Meadows Visitor CenterCentral City/Black Hawk Historic DistrictColorado ChautauquaCripple Creek Historic DistrictCumbres and Toltec Scenic RailroadDenver Civic CenterDurango and Silverton Narrow Gauge RailroadElitch Gardens CarouselGeorgetown–Silver Plume Historic DistrictGranada War Relocation CenterLeadville Historic DistrictLindenmeier siteLowry PuebloLudlow Tent Colony SiteMesa Verde Administrative DistrictMinnequa Steel WorksPikes PeakPike's StockadeRaton PassRed Rocks ParkShenandoah-Dives MillSilverton Historic DistrictTelluride Historic DistrictTemple AaronTrujillo HomesteadsUnited States Air Force Academy, Cadet AreaWinks Panorama16 National Natural LandmarksBig Spring CreekGarden of the GodsGarden Park Fossil AreaHanging LakeIndian Springs Trace Fossil Natural AreaLost Creek Scenic AreaMorrison-Golden Fossil AreasRaton MesaRoxboroughSand CreekSlumgullion EarthflowSummit LakeWest Bijou SiteNational Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places listings in Colorado43 State ParksArkansas HeadwatersBarr LakeBoyd LakeCastlewood CanyonChatfieldCherry CreekCheyenne MountainCrawfordEldorado CanyonEleven MileElkheadFishers PeakGolden Gate CanyonHarvey GapHighline LakeJackson LakeJames M. Robb - Colorado RiverJohn Martin ReservoirLake PuebloLathropLone MesaMancosMuellerNavajoNorth SterlingPaoniaPearl LakeRidgwayRifle FallsRifle GapSpinney MountainSt. VrainStagecoachState ForestStauntonSteamboat LakeSweetwater LakeSweitzer LakeSylvan LakeTrinidad LakeYampa River1 State Forest307 State Wildlife AreasList of Colorado state wildlife areas96 State Natural AreasAiken CanyonArikaree RiverBonny PrairieCastlewood CanyonChalk BluffsComanche GrasslandDakota HogbackEast Sand DunesGarden Park FossilIndian Springs Trace FossilIrish CanyonNarraguinnepNeedle RockParadise ParkRabbit ValleyRaven RidgeRedcloud PeakTrinidad K-T BoundaryWheeler GeologicZapata Falls26 Scenic and Historic BywaysAlpine LoopCache la Poudre-North ParkColorado River HeadwatersDinosaur DiamondFlat Tops TrailFrontier PathwaysGold Belt TourGuanella PassHighway of LegendsLariat LoopLos Caminos AntiguosMount Blue SkyPawnee Pioneer TrailsPeak to PeakSan Juan SkywaySilver ThreadSouth Platte River TrailTop of the RockiesTracks Across BordersTrail of the AncientsTrail Ridge Road/Beaver MeadowUnaweep TabeguacheWest Elk LoopTrails28 National Recreation TrailsCalicoGrays PeakGreyrock MountainHigh Line CanalMineral BeltMount McConnelRound Mountain6 Regional TrailsAmerican Discovery TrailColorado TrailGreat Divide Mountain Bike RouteKokopelli's TrailParadox TrailColorado Department of Natural ResourcesNational Wildlife Refuges of the United States