Raptor lake is a nice area to explore in the Tularosa basin. It was one of my favorite spots to find different kinds of wildlife.

This being said, if you aren’t prepared to interact with rattlesnakes this may not be the area for you. This was the hotspot for finding prairie, Mojave, and wester diamond backs. There were about 3 different times I was almost bit there, granted I was looking for them. Just stay away from the waters edge at nighttime and you should be fine, that’s where most of them were.

Speaking about the water, don’t touch it! From what I‘ve been told it’s the effluent from Holloman AFB’s waste treatment plant. Sure smells like it is at least.

During the daytime it’s a nice place to hike around and watch wildlife. The nighttime you will need to be more careful. There was usually a point in each summer the lake will be infested with flies along the shoreline that will swarm you if you have a headlamp pointed towards the waters edge. There’s so many the ground moves like a living carpet. And like mentioned before, don’t go down to the waters edge at night if you don’t have any gear to protect you from rattlesnakes.