Tingley Beach is Albuquerque’s beloved city fishing spot – a set of ponds along the Rio Grande in the heart of the city, part of the ABQ BioPark. With stocked trout and catfish, pedal boats, model-boat sailing and a riverside trail, it’s a free, family-friendly oasis where city kids learn to fish and locals stroll the bosque, all framed by the Sandia Mountains.
This guide covers Tingley Beach: the fishing, the family recreation, and access. It’s part of our growing New Mexico Lakes Database.
Tingley Beach at a glance
- Type: a chain of urban fishing ponds along the Rio Grande, part of the ABQ BioPark
- Location: Bernalillo County, central New Mexico (in Albuquerque)
- Top fish: rainbow trout (stocked, cool months), channel catfish, bass, bluegill
City fishing on the Rio Grande
Tingley Beach is one of the best urban fishing spots in New Mexico. Its ponds are stocked with rainbow trout in the cooler months and hold channel catfish, bass and bluegill in summer, making it a reliable, easy place to fish right in Albuquerque. A New Mexico fishing license is required for adults. With accessible shorelines and a relaxed vibe, it’s where generations of Albuquerque families have caught their first fish – no boat or long drive required.
Family recreation and the BioPark
Beyond fishing, Tingley Beach offers pedal boats for rent, a dedicated model-boat pond, picnic areas, a café, and a station on the BioPark train that connects to the aquarium, botanic garden and zoo. The paved Paseo del Bosque Trail runs alongside for walking and cycling through the cottonwood bosque. There’s no swimming, but as a free, all-ages riverside park, Tingley Beach is an Albuquerque institution.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Tingley Beach is just southwest of downtown Albuquerque, off Tingley Drive along the Rio Grande, minutes from I-25/I-40. The ABQ BioPark Aquarium and Botanic Garden, Old Town and the bosque trail are right next door.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a New Mexico license is required for adult anglers.
- No swimming: it’s a fishing and boating park, not a swimming beach.
- Best seasons: fall through spring for stocked trout; summer for catfish and pedal boats.
Frequently asked questions
What fish are in Tingley Beach?
Stocked rainbow trout in the cooler months, plus channel catfish, bass and bluegill in summer.
Can you swim at Tingley Beach?
No – Tingley Beach is for fishing, pedal boats and model boats, not swimming. It’s a family fishing and recreation park.
Where is Tingley Beach?
Just southwest of downtown Albuquerque along the Rio Grande, part of the ABQ BioPark.
Related: explore the small lakes of New Mexico, or head back to the New Mexico Lakes Database.
Explore more New Mexico lakes: the largest lakes in New Mexico and the deepest lakes in New Mexico.
