Bachechi Open Space

Located in Albuquerque’s North Valley, Bachechi Open Space Park is a 27-acre destination where everyday recreation meets deeper connections to nature and the city’s agricultural legacy. Designed by SITES, the park transforms a historic farmstead into a dynamic landscape that celebrates ecology, heritage, and community. As a gateway to the Rio Grande Valley State Park multi-use trail system, it welcomes hikers, bicyclists, equestrians, and nature lovers to explore regional landscapes, observe wildlife, and experience the spirit of the Rio Grande valley.

At its heart is a landscape that adapts the area’s agricultural past into a model of ecological richness and sustainability. A former pecan orchard remains, now entwined with a working arboretum of sycamores, junipers, and cottonwoods. Wetland depressions and xeric meadows replicate the valley’s natural rhythms, harvesting stormwater and roof runoff from the adjacent Environmental Education Building. The collected water is stored in above-ground cisterns that irrigate surrounding plantings, creating a landscape that is both beautiful and functional.

Wildlife watching stations dot the woodland, inviting visitors to pause and observe birds, toads, and riparian species, while trails wind through native plant forests and open meadows. Picnic areas, interpretive signage, and a memorial rose garden honor the site’s cultural roots, tracing back to the Bachechi family’s Italian immigrant heritage and early farming operations.

The layering of landscapes, including the orchard, arboretum, wetland boardwalk, meadow systems, and trail connections, reflects SITES’ holistic approach to design. It is a place where history, ecology, and recreation come together, and where Albuquerque’s open space legacy continues to thrive.