When life starts to get stressful, sometimes the best thing to do is escape into nature. You don’t have to travel far though; peaceful places in nature are all around us and it is far easier to access a quiet retreat.

One such location is Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, located approximately seven miles south of Albuquerque just off the Rio Grande.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region/Flickr
This picturesque location serves as a perfect urban retreat for both humans and wildlife.
The refuge was once a decades' old dairy farm and it still sits surrounded by agricultural fields.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region/Flickr
In 2012, the land was acquired by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and eventually transformed into the sanctuary you see today.
In 2019, the wildlife refuge was designated an urban night sky place by the International Dark-Sky Association.
Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge/Facebook
Despite its proximity to Albuquerque, the sky at the refuge is significantly dark at night and is not illuminated by artificial light.

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Here, you can see a faint glow of Albuquerque's city lights against the sky but also still clearly see the stars at night.
Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge/Facebook
It's a perfect location for star gazing and listening to the stillness of night.
When was the last time you visited Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge?
Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge/Facebook
Do you have a favorite activity to do when visiting? Alternatively, do you have a favorite location to visit when you're seeking a quiet retreat?
Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife sanctuary located in the southern outskirts of Albuquerque off Interstate 25.
Google Maps

It is open daily and there is no entrance fee. For additional details about visiting the wildlife refuge, special hours, and more, visit its website or Facebook page.

Website: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Facebook: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge
Location: 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105
Phone: 505-248-6667

New Mexico has no limit to the number of quiet, remote places that can be accessed around the state. One such location that offers this kind of atmosphere is the Gila Wilderness, found in western New Mexico. Read more in America’s First Designated Wilderness Area Is Also One Of New Mexico’s Most Underrated Natural Beauties.

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7851 2nd St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, USA