North Valley

Rio-Grande-Albuquerque-Real-Estate-Sugar-Team A jogger trots along the River Loop Trail shielded by the shade of shimmering cottonwoods. A peloton blasts down a paved road along the Rio Grande, decked out in day glow spandex. An older lady sits at a bench on the riverbanks, meditating on the lazily moving river. A classroom of hyperactive eight-year-olds run through the fascinating exhibits at the Visitor Center, amazingly absorbing a good 30-33% of what is being explained at every station. These are some of the many scenes you will encounter at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, a wonderful destination-point for people of all ages and interests, and homage to the Southwest’s staff of life, the Rio Grande. Candelaria-Wetland-Rio-Grande-Sutter-Sugar-Albquerque

Located in Albuquerque’s North Valley on Candelaria and Rio Grande Blvd the Rio Grande Nature Center is part of a bosque, or cottonwood forest by the wetland bordering the river. It boasts some 270 acres of woods, meadows and farmland with native grasses, wildflowers, willows and of course, cottonwoods. The park’s hub consists of the Visitor Center which was designed by Albuquerque native-architect Antoine Predock, and contains many exhibits on the area’s riparian environment.

And the flora and fauna do not disappoint. The animals provide the eye candy, with a huge range of species: everything from toads to beavers and great horned owls to woodpeckers. When I stopped by the Visitor Center I had the pleasure of watching a family of turtles from the comfortable air conditioned Predock-designed Observation Room.

Albuquerque-Rio-Grande-Nature-Center-Sugar-Team If meditating on a slow-moving group of turtles (also known as a “bale”) isn’t your speed there are many other active ways at the Nature Center to enjoy the Rio Grande. The Riverwalk Trail and Bosque Loop Trail provide one-mile and 0.8 mile hikes, respectively through open meadows, heavily wooded areas and along the river. The paved road along the Rio Grande provides the perfect bicycle superhighway for those who want to go real fast.

The Nature Center realizes the vital role that the Rio Grande plays in the Southwest’s ecosystem. Since it is the fourth longest river system in North America, measuring some 1,248 miles long, it makes sense that Albuquerque holds it in such grande regard. My own video Sutter Sugar of The Sugar Team is my own tribute to the Rio Grande Nature Center and the Rio Grande, yet another example why I live to live here in Albuquerque!:

Southwest style is one of the more distinctive forms of architecture. Everything from its rustic feel in the interior to its exterior clean, unobtrusive lines and colors designed to blend in with our golden-brown landscape makes it a true romantic gem within our 50 states. Two local Albuquerque builders Antoine Predock and Hap Crawford both scream Southwest style in their finished work, and each provides his own twist. Predock whimsically combines modern features with a creative reimagining of the Southwest tradition while Hap Crawford remains closer to the root both in form and materials.

Hap Crawford’s more traditional style may be traced to his background. An Albuquerque native born in Old Town, Crawford purchased his first home (an adobe of course!) for only $600 when he was only a teenager while working, delivering telegrams for Western Union. Since then he has built homes up and down the Rio Grande for the last half century.

For most Burqueños “Hap Crawford” is synonymous with “adobe.” This is because Crawford is a “true believer in the aesthetic appeal and durability of adobe.”¹ Crawford, like any Albuquerque native, appreciates natural adobe’s insulative characteristics while enjoying the look of a wall showcasing these massive 35-pound bricks.

Adobe isn’t the only architectural trope found in Crawford’s work. He’s also known for incorporating courtyards, soaring living room ceilings, open floor plans, counter tops with glazed Mexican tile, viga beams traverse ceilings and kiva fireplaces. These are all gorgeous “details that impart an uncontrived Southwest flavor.”¹

As luck would have it, there is a cul-de-sac nestled in Albuquerque’s Near North Valley with only 14 homes, all of which have been designed and built by Hap Crawford: El Nido Court. As the El Nido Court neighbors proudly tell it, Hap Crawford would build one home, live in it while finishing the interior details, and then move on to the next one once the home was completed. This anecdote appears to be accurate, because you’ll notice that the wood carving details in the homes at the end of El Nido Court appear to be more ornate than in the ones closer to Rio Grande Boulevard.

1“Master Works” by John Kent Albuquerque Journal December 28, 1997Sources:

“Each N. Valley Condo Has Living Quarters, Business Space and Warehouse” by Jane Mahoney Albuquerque Journal January 2, 2005