Visit the Wetland
The Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve is accessible through the main entrance of El Rancho de Las Golondrinas (not accessible from Frontage Road).
Access to the wetland preserve for self-guided walks is included with your museum admission. Your entrance fee helps to fund maintenance, restoration efforts, and educational programming for the wetlands. Learn more about the Wetland Preserve and restoration efforts.
The entrance to the wetlands is an approximately 15–20 minute walk from the museum entrance and the trail around the preserve is approximately 1 mile long. Please bring water, sun protection, and comfortable footwear.
Tours and Special Arrangements
We offer several guided tours and programs at the Wetland Preserve (see details below). Private tours of the wetland preserve are also available upon request (complete our Private Tour Request Form).
Special arrangements may be made for people with mobility limitations. Please contact us for more information about planning your visit.
Seasonal Hours
Open June–October
Wednesday–Sunday
10am–3pm
Rules and Policies
The Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve is a delicate ecosystem, so please respect the following policies when visiting:
Stay on the trails (walking off-trail disturbs delicate biocrust soils)
No Dogs
No Littering
No Foraging or Picking Plants
No Smoking
No Fishing or Hunting
No Camping or Fires
Wetland Tours and Programs
Reservations are required for these tours, and capacity is set at 25 participants.
To sign up, fill out the Wetland Tour Request Form or contact our Tour Coordinator at [email protected].
Pájaro Paraje: The Migratory Birds of Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
Life returns to the preserve! Enjoy a spring walk amid the songs of returning birds and learn about the various species who call Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve home. In honor of World Migratory Bird Day we’re offering a birding tour followed by a family-friendly craft at the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve, hosted by Kanah Waltman of the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary.
Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 9am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
The Hidden Lives of Trees
Can trees taste? Can trees help each other? Can trees scream? Come explore the Hidden Lives of Trees on a walking tour of Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve with volunteer, Freddi Martinez, followed by a family-friendly craft activity.
Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 10am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
Wetlands and Watersheds: A Walking Tour of Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
The mission of the Santa Fe Watershed Association is to build a thriving, resilient Santa Fe River Watershed through collaboration, stewardship, and education that inspires us all to care for our land, water and each other. El Rancho de Las Golondrinas shares that vision. As stewards of the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve, part of the lower watershed, we are proud to offer a tour of the site hosted by Mori Hensley, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Watershed. Learn about wetlands and the connectivity of the Santa Fe Watershed while enjoying a walk in the oasis that is the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve.
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 10am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
Summer at the Preserve: A Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve Walk and Talk
Enjoy an early morning summer walk with Citizen Scientist, Zac Carlson and experience the preserve in full bloom. Learn about the history of the preserve and why it’s such a unique ecosystem.
Date: Saturday, June 21
Time: 8am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
The Hidden Lives of Trees
Can trees taste? Can trees help each other? Can trees scream? Come explore the Hidden Lives of Trees on a walking tour of Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve with volunteer, Freddi Martinez, followed by a family-friendly craft activity.
Date: Saturday, July 26
Time: 9am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
Plant Phenology Walk at Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
Phenology is the timing of plant life cycle events such as leafing out, flowering and producing seeds. Come learn about why tracking plant phenology is important, and what plants are being tracked at the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve. Sylvan Kaufman is a Citizen Scientist volunteer and Master Naturalist who has been tracking plant phenology at the wetland for the last 3 years.
Date: Saturday, August 16
Time: 8am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.
Prints and Scat: Animal Tracking at Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
Guided by animal tracking specialist and Citizen Scientist, Ann Hunkins, you’ll learn about the skill of identifying and tracking animals and why the 35-acre preserve is home to a myriad of animal species.
Date: Saturday, October 11
Time: 9am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.
“Fall” in Love with Wetlands: A Walking Tour of Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
Leaf your worries behind and enjoy a a seasonal tour with Citizen Scientist, Zac Carlson. Stroll amid radiant golden cottonwood trees and learn about the changes that autumn brings to the preserve.
Date: Saturday, October 25
Time: 10am (Tour will last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)
Fee: $15 per person / $10 for museum members and volunteers. Reservations required.Â
