Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most ambitious urban conservation projects in the nation. Established in 2012, we are just getting started on what will be a decades-long journey of transformation.

As you visit, we invite you, your friends, family, and neighbors to enjoy our trails and events, learn about our work, and help us grow a safe place for both wildlife and people.
Announcements

The visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm.
The gates to the refuge property open an hour before sunrise and close an hour after sunset. The restrooms in the visitor center breezeway are open from 6 am to 6 pm every day. 

The new 2.5 mile Bosque Loop Trail is now open providing walking access to the Rio Grande Bosque. There is currently no public driving access across the refuge and no public parking on the refuge adjacent to the bosque. 

Pets are allowed on refuge trails. Please keep all pets on a 6 foot non-retractable leash and on designated trails at all times.

Visit Us

Tucked behind an industrial zone in the South Valley, the refuge provides an escape from the city. Enjoy a peaceful wetland demonstration pond, beautiful sunsets, and walking trail loops that mark the beginning of our extensive transformation plans. Stop by the Visitor Center to learn about our upcoming events and how you can help us re-wild the land both on the refuge and in your community.

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      As one of the newest urban wildlife refuges, our community and partners are working together to re-wild 570 acres of farmland. Over the coming years and decades, we will continue to transform by creating new habitats, expanding our trail network, and providing new opportunities for education and engagement.

      Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge humbly acknowledges that it occupies over 570 acres of ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Tiwa People. The Tiwa people have stewarded these lands for generations and, in the case of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, continue to play a vital role in its protection, restoration, and prosperity.

      Additionally, we acknowledge that this refuge is built from the grassroots community movements led by the passionate people of Mountain View. We give gratitude to our community who continues to engage in diverse ways to bring our collective vision of a safe place for wildlife and people to reality. 

      What We Do

      Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge strives to connect people with wildlife, plants, and the land by providing equitable and just ways to deepen personal relationships with nature, while balancing healthy natural habitat management with opportunities for education, visitor engagement, youth employment, community involvement, and stewardship.

      We strive to grow a safe place for both wildlife and people. We do this through our work in community, restoration and environmental justice.

      Our Species

      Welcome to our connected community! Plants and animals that all interact with each other are part of an ecological community. Find out what animals and plants are common at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge.  

      Our Library

      Two black-footed ferrets poke their heads out of black pipes lying in tall grass to examine the photographer
      Here you can find resources from across the Fish and Wildlife Service about threatened or endangered species.