RANDALL DAVEY AUDUBON CENTER

Sometimes you just need a quick getaway from town, a breath of fresh air, a place to stretch your legs without too many people around, and maybe a spot just to sit and be quiet for awhile. We have the perfect destination for you: The Randall Davey Audubon Center, just a couple of miles from the Inn on the Alameda, with good parking at either the Center itself, or just off Upper Canyon Road, at the Santa Fe River Canyon Nature Preserve. Both are free.
It’s a lovely place to have a short hike and there are a variety of paths in the Nature Preserve south of the Center, with interpretive signs here and there. The “serious” birders are also quick to post their sightings.

A pleasant walk on a winter afternoon. That’s Picacho Peak above.

An interpretive sign near the classroom and nature store

Catch of the day
A friend and I love to stop by the River Preserve to see what the beavers have been up to. Lately they’ve been rearranging their dams. “Busy as a beaver” doesn’t begin to describe these creatures. It’s amazing what they can accomplish!

The latest engineering project on the Santa Fe River

An evening’s nosh

And down, ready for stripping and hauling. That’s a big tree!
There are already plenty of birds to see, even though it’s still February, and more are no doubt on the way. The robins are back – that’s always encouraging – and we also spotted mallards on the beaver ponds, scrub jays, white-breasted nuthatches, pine siskins, juncos, two kinds of towhees, and a pair of red-tailed hawks circling overhead, keeping everyone in line. The usual menagerie of reptiles is absent since it’s still winter, so for those of you averse to slithery things, this is a great time for a walk.
Getting There:
From the Inn on the Alameda, turn east on Alameda Street (toward the mountains) and follow it along the tree-lined Santa Fe River until it makes a sharp right turn. At the stop sign at the intersection with Upper Canyon Road, turn left and enjoy a slow drive through a very picturesque section of Old Santa Fe until the road makes an abrupt left turn. Here you have a couple of choices: you can turn left here and then immediately right into the parking area for the Nature Conservancy’s Santa Fe River Preserve, or you can continue straight ahead, along a dirt road, about half a mile to the paved parking area at the Randall Davey Audubon Center itself. There’s a great nature store here, and it’s the meeting place for the Saturday morning bird walks. Check their website for the calendar of events.

The old Randall Davey House seen from inside the Preserve
Book Your Next Stay at Inn on the Alameda
Our Updated Health and Safety Standards
Our Updated Health and Safety Standards The Inn on the Alameda will implement the “Safe Stay” guidelines recommended by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, in conjunction with public health experts and recommendations from the U.S....
A Guide to Tequila Blanco and An Exclusive Drink Recipe from Joe’s Tequila Bar
It’s well known that tequila is distilled from the juice of the Blue Weber Agave plant. What is less well known is that there are actually three major types of tequila: Tequila Blanco, Tequila Reposado, and Tequila Ańejo. Each type has unique characteristics that...
The Three Basic Types of Tequila
The history of tequila dates back to the Aztec people, who created a precursor to the drink called Pulque from the Agave plant. When the Spaniards arrived, they distilled Pulque to create a drink they found more palatable. From those simple origins, the production of...
The History of Tequila in Santa Fe
Margaritas have always been an essential part of Santa Fe’s gastronomical scene. Tequila made its way to the United States as an import from Mexico. It debuted in Santa Fe via the Camino Real, the colonial-era stretch of 1,200 miles between Santa Fe and Mexico City....