Located on the central Rio Grande flyway, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park offers excellent bird watching throughout the year. Visitors can observe about 250 species of birds including roadrunners and wood ducks. A trail system along the river, demonstration gardens and indoor and outdoor wildlife viewing areas add to this valuable public resource.

Bountiful Bosque
The bosque, or riverside forest, features two miles of nature trails which wind through tall cottonwoods and past willow thickets and open sand flats alongside the Rio Grande. Park visitors in winter might observe Sandhill cranes at the river and porcupines in the trees. In summer lizards skitter across the trails and hummingbirds investigate flowering plants.

A Room with a View
A highlight of the park’s visitor center is its glass-walled library, which allows observation of pond residents such as ducks, geese, turtles, frogs, snakes and muskrats in their natural habitat. A speaker system transmits the real sounds of pond life into the room.

Park Programs and Activities

The park offers regular nature walks, bird walks and twilight hikes as well as teacher workshops, seasonal classes and special events for all ages. Bosque trails, gardens, wildlife viewing blinds and hands-on exhibits are available to visitors who would like to explore on their own.  Schools and other groups can schedule guided programs (nature walks, pond investigations, and indoor programs on the habitat and creatures of the bosque) which address New Mexico science and social studies standards.

Getting There
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is located in Albuquerque, one half mile west of Rio Grande Blvd on Candelaria Road.

From I-40 take exit 157A onto Rio Grande Boulevard, head north approximately 1.4 miles, and turn left onto Candelaria Road. Candelaria Road dead-ends at the entrance to the park

      Park Map

      Park Brochure  

  Park Management Plan     

Friends of Rio Grande Nature Center

      Fast Facts

           Gate Hours
           8 AM - 5 PM

   Visitor Center Hours
          10 AM – 5 PM

     Nature Shop Hours
   11 AM – 3 PM (M – F)

  10 AM – 4 PM (Sa – Su)

  Park Superintendent
        Beth Dillingham
        (505) 344-7240
Beth.Dillingham@state.nm.us

             Address
 2901 Candelaria Rd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107

 
            Elevation
           5,000 feet

          Precipitation
            8.61 inches

        Temperature
       January    49/25 
       April         70/41 
        July          90/52
      October    70/34

          Day-use fee

       $3.00 per vehicle

        $15.00 per bus

    Exact change or check

     Walk in/bike in free

     Dogs and bicycles…

The park trails are for hikers

Persons riding bicycles or

walking leashed dogs please

use the Candelaria access path

to reach the paved

Paseo del Bosque Trail.

Current Fire Restrictions

The Rio Grande Nature Center State Park follows the same restrictions as the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division.