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Rio Grande Botanic Garden

Nature & parks
In Albuquerque, New Mexico
0.1 mi from Route 66

The Rio Grande Botanic Garden, part of the ABQ BioPark in Albuquerque, NM, covers 36 acres beside the Rio Grande and sits right on Central Avenue, the old Route 66. It focuses on plants from the Southwest and other dry regions, with a big glass conservatory, gardens of New Mexico habitats, medicinal plants and a butterfly pavilion. Its design won a 2019 award from the New Mexico Architectural Foundation.

What is Rio Grande Botanic Garden?

The heart of the garden is a glass conservatory of about 10,000 square feet with two wings. One holds plants from places with a Mediterranean climate: California, Chile, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Portugal and Spain. The other is given to xeric, or drought-adapted, plants from the deserts of North America.

Outside, exhibits show plants from different New Mexico habitats and plants used as medicine, and a butterfly pavilion adds color and movement. In 2019 the garden's design received the Architecture + Community Award from the New Mexico Architectural Foundation.

Visiting Rio Grande Botanic Garden: tips

Allow an hour or two. Restrooms are on site, the grounds are wheelchair accessible, and the garden is well suited to children. Two Route 66 motor courts are within a short walk: the El Vado Auto Court about 0.2 miles away and Tower Court about 0.4 miles. The Albuquerque Museum is about 0.8 miles off.

Practical info

Address: 2601 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
Phone: +1 505-764-6200
Website: cabq.gov/biopark
Hours: Daily 9–5
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Rio Grande Botanic Garden

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Mac's La Sierra
Albuquerque, NM · 1.7 mi from Rio Grande Botanic Garden
A New Mexican restaurant on Albuquerque's West Central Avenue, the city's Route 66, dating from 1952.
Diner & restaurant
El Modelo
Albuquerque, NM · 2.4 mi from Rio Grande Botanic Garden
A Barelas restaurant in Albuquerque that began in 1929 as the El Modelo Tortilla Factory.
Diner & restaurant
Frontier Restaurant
Albuquerque, NM · 3.6 mi from Rio Grande Botanic Garden
A big New Mexican restaurant near UNM on Central Avenue, hung with portraits of John Wayne.