Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

In 1834 Mexico granted Benigno Leal about fifteen square miles on the north bank of the Rio Grande. He made his headquarters, Rancho de Adentro, and a cemetery here. The grant was later merged with neighbouring land as the Alamo Tract, and between 1910 and 1930 the Louisiana and Rio Grande Canal Company cleared the tract for farms. The southern end kept its river forest, and the United States bought it in 1943 as a sanctuary for migratory birds.

The refuge is 2,088 acres. It lies where two major migration routes meet and at the northern limit of many species that range south into Central and South America, so a morning here can turn up birds that cannot be seen elsewhere in the country. The Fish and Wildlife Service counts nearly 500 bird species and 300 butterflies. Congress left the refuge out of border barrier funding in 2018, and the 2019 spending bill again barred fencing at it and several other Valley landmarks.

The visitor center is at 3325 Green Jay Road in Alamo. Trails run from the 0.2-mile boardwalk of the Malachite Trail to the Owl Trail, which leads to the Cementerio Viejo, the old cemetery. A 40-foot tower on the Tower Trail looks over the canopy, and a seasonal winter tram runs on the paved auto-tour loop. Admission is charged per vehicle and is free on the first Sunday of each month. Pets are not allowed, and the heat is the main hazard from spring through fall.