Rio Grande Boulevard

Home to many longtime residents who appreciate its rural nature, the Northwest Albuquerque suburb of Rio Grande Boulevard is a safe, quiet place to set down roots. Just east of the Rio Grande and a few miles north of Old Town, it’s close to both the central city and lush open spaces, with easy access to local restaurants and good schools.

Annexed as an official Albuquerque neighborhood in the 1940s, Rio Grande Boulevard retains much of its rural-desert vibe. Development was made possible here by the flood-controlling Campbell Ditch and Griegos Drain, both of which are traced by unpaved paths. Multi-story buildings are rare, and along the wide streets you'll often see dusty lots, chain link fences and low adobe walls, as well as stunning views of the Sandia Mountains to the east.

Most single-family homes in Rio Grande Boulevard date to the late 1940s through ‘50s, generally mid-sized and either Ranch or Pueblo adobe-style; the latter will often have rough-hewn wood details like arched doors and exposed beams. You’ll also see some more modern, Contemporary homes, a mix of 1 or 2 stories with adobe-style designs and Southwestern details. Those yards that are landscaped feature rock gardens and/or lush trees, often tucked behind walls or fences of adobe, pale brick or raw wood. New roofs and paving are common, while some houses offer more potential than curb appeal. Single-family homes here average $375,000.

Be aware that coyotes may occasionally appear on residential streets and in backyards, making Rio Grande Boulevard a good place to supervise your pets outdoors. This is suburbia, for sure, but you’re never far from the wilderness.

Just north, Los Poblanos Open Space offers a few hiking loops, while just west is the 4,300-acre Rio Grande Valley State Park. Known locally as “the bosque,” which is Spanish for "forest," this cool, shady park is unlike most of arid Albuquerque, with large cottonwood, coyote willow, and New Mexico olive trees creating habitat for beaver, turtles and a whole bunch of bird species. The park lies adjacent to the 16-mile Paseo del Bosque trail, a popular, accessible path for hiking, horseback riding and biking.

Within the neighborhood’s Valley Haven Park and Krogh Park, you can enjoy summertime-shaded open space and playgrounds. The larger of the two, Krogh also has picnic tables and a small basketball court for pick-up games.

Rio Grande Boulevard is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the neighborhood’s main artery, running north-south just about down its center. Continuing across I-40, it’s a 3-mile trip straight into Old Town, with nearby attractions like the Indian Pueblo Cultural Museum and ABQ BioParks.

At the corner of Rio Grande and Matthew Avenue is La Montañita Food Co-Op, which supports local farmers and focuses on organic and fair-trade goods; membership isn’t necessary to shop here, but it does offer discounts. Just south is The Little Shops on Rio Grande, with a collection of vendors like a hair salon, quilt shop and a boutique with Southwestern and Native American art, jewelry, pottery and clothing.

Toward the neighborhood’s northern end are two popular restaurants. Opened in 2018, El Patio Rio is the second outpost of a University Heights institution, serving home-style New Mexican cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner; their patio is dog-friendly, and the hatch chiles they use are locally grown. Flying Star Café is part of a small local chain, combining the vibe of a casual diner with the menu of upscale gourmet café; they label gluten-free versions of their dishes as, “Gluten Not.”

One of several elementary schools in the area, Duranes Elementary is the one school in Rio Grande Boulevard. Focused on small-class instruction and connection with nature, Duranes includes an on-site student garden. In neighboring Los Griegos, Valley High School is home to the city’s only magnet school for engineering and computer science, a school within a school that's open to incoming freshmen and sophomores.

Never far from the city center or green open spaces, Rio Grande Boulevard is a safe, quiet place to set down some Albuquerque roots.

Photography Contributed By

Kody Martin