Outdoor Environmental Education Programs

Education Programs Outdoor Programs Environmental Outreach "Get on the Bus" Scholarship

The following areas provide educational programs held at their outdoor facilities.

Open Space Visitor Center

The purpose of the Open Space Division is to acquire, protect, maintain and manage significant natural landscapes and cultural resources for present and future generations. The Open Space Visitor Center is a premier facility that promotes the Open Space mission.  Here, you can gain an understanding of the importance of protecting public land for the enjoyment of citizens, and for protecting the environment for wildlife and for our children and grandchildren. The Visitor Center also promotes the cultural significance and history of traditional communities in the region through interpretive displays.

Programs Available:

• Bosque Hike: Guided walk into the Bosque starting along the ditch system located in front of the Visitor Center.  Call 897-8831 for information
• Guided Educational Programs. Themes vary.
• Tours of the Facility. The Visitor Center is available year round for group tours and has a number of indoor interpretive displays. Call ahead to schedule a tour.

Facilities: Meeting room, art gallery, interpretive courtyard, wildlife fields. Reservation fees for the meeting room and other facilities may apply depending on the event.

Special Events: A View with Room Art Show, rotating gallery and cultural displays.

Location:  6500 Coors Blvd. NW; between Montaño and Paseo del Norte—look for the brown signs saying “Open Space Visitor Center” and turn east on Bosque Meadows Road.

 

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Elena Gallegos Picnic Area and Albert G. Simms Park

Explore the pinyon-juniper foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Learn about the geologic forces that have shaped this landscape, as well as plant and animal adaptations and human occupation of the area.

Programs Available

• Nature Trail Walks
  Guided interpretive walks along the Elena Gallegos Nature Trail or the ADA-accessible Cottonwood Springs Trail. Available to schools, troops, and organizations year-round.
• Sunset Series and Sunday Hikes
  Chats are held Saturday evenings beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Elena Gallegos amphitheater. Sunday hikes start at 9:00 a.m. from the Pino Trailhead. Programs run from mid-May to mid-September. Topics vary weekly. Call for schedule.
• Service Learning Projects
  Includes trail maintenance and trash clean-up, while learning about the environment.

Facilities
Paved parking area, picnic tables, restrooms (vault toilet), group reservation picnic areas. Teachers may reserve a picnic area for their school groups.

Special Events
National Trails Day, Spring Foothills Clean-Up.

Location
East of Tramway Blvd., north of Academy Road, on Simms Park Road.

Fees
$1.00 per vehicle (weekdays)
$2.00 per vehicle (weekends)
Fees waived for scheduled school groups.

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Open Space Farmlands: Los Poblanos Field

Learn about the importance of maintaining agricultural traditions in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

Programs Available

• Guided Education Programs
• Community Gardening Programs
  Call Rio Grande Community Farms at (505) 345-4580 for more information.
• Service Learning Projects
  Includes wildlife habitat enhancement and agricultural projects.

Facilities
Parking area, no fees.

Special Events
Fall Corn Maze, Harvest Festival - call Rio Grande Community Farms at (505) 345-4580 for schedule.

Location
West on Montano Road from Fourth Street, turn north on Tierra Viva Road.

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Petroglyph National Monument: Boca Negra Canyon

Step back in time by exploring the West Mesa's geologic and cultural history.

Programs Available

• Interpretive Talks
  Introduces the geologic forces that shaped the West Mesa escarpment and how Puebloan, Spanish, and Anglo Cultures have survived here. Call the National Park Service at (505) 899-0205 to schedule a program.
• Junior Ranger Program
  For children grades 1-5 visiting the park with their families; upon completion, children receive a badge and certificate. Available at the Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center or call (505) 899-0205.
• Service Learning Projects
  Includes trash pick-up and trail-work. Call Open Space at (505) 452-5200 to schedule.

Facilities
Paved parking areas, restrooms, picnic areas, and drinking fountain.

Special Events
Heritage Preservation Month activities (May). Call the Open Space office for schedule.

Location
1/4 mile north of Montano Road and Unser Blvd.

Fees
$1.00 per vehicle (weekdays)
$2.00 per vehicle (weekends)
Golden Age / Eagle passports honored