Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico · 4,518 ft
Typical peak
Oct 16 – Oct 24
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande between the Chupadera and San Pascual ranges, more than five thousand feet below the aspen country in the north of the state. Cottonwood gold against desert scrub and bare mountain is the whole composition here, and the refuge loop puts the light behind it at dawn.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Off I-25 at San Antonio in Socorro County, south of Socorro. A loop tour road runs the impoundments and bosque with pullouts and observation decks.
What turns here
- cottonwood
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 20Typical color progression for Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. No change from Sep 12 to Sep 29. First color from Sep 29 to Oct 8. Approaching peak from Oct 8 to Oct 16. Peak from Oct 16 to Oct 24. Past peak from Oct 24 to Nov 3. Bare from Nov 3 to Nov 17.
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
None yet
No night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
74°F / 51°F
Average daily high and low.
Modeled weather for these coordinates from the Open-Meteo historical archive, Aug 1 – Oct 31; not a station record. Reported peak is the median date of approved peak-color reports.
Plan the light
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on October 20, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:51 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 102° | 7:16 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 34 min of low, warm light | 7:50 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:52 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 34 min before sunset | 5:54 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 6:28 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:53 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 11h 12m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.