Difficult because it was a “shortcut”. Was a fast path and hairy at times. Also wonderful microclimates on the way up.
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Consider revising the end part of hike to come back before the towers and touristy part of N. Crest trail. Took 5 hours, trailhead was 10,300 fr.
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Almost no-one on entire hike area. Went off-trail some. Blooms all over.
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Part of La Luz trail, trailhead to an arbitrary stopping point (started late, needed to beat the dark).
Very exposed, especially at the start. Great views. Well worn trail that is easy to spot & follow. Lots of others on trail, including trail runners with just the clothes on their backs and hikers with full packs and trekking poles. Some steep sections with super dusty sand, very fine gravel - trekking poles would probably make the descent in those parts a little easier, or at least less hairy. Good hike, definitely recommend
★
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The deer perhaps come up here away from trail traffic and amongst rock gardens/trees
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It’s a quick, steep climb of about 40 min. The views at the top are nice, and there were falcons. Quicker descent down. Ground is very gravelly, take it carefully and slow. Double check every fork in the road, Three Guns Spring trail is right next to it, and it’s east to get off trail, which can add a lot of time and distance. You can get this hike done in an hour and a half roughly.
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First time here took us 2 hrs. Didn’t see to much but nice hike for us
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This was a nice loop. The trails were easy to see. There was a lot of up-and-down and areas with loose gravel and or exposed roots. It’s in the trees mostly, but there are a few places that you can go off trail and see the view of the city. Cool, shady and beautiful.
★
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This is a fun trail. It has something for everyone. For the novice, there’s the foothills and some navigable terrain. For those who, like a bit more of a challenge, push through to the top of the trail and enjoy a fantastic view.
The trail is in good condition, the last 300 to 400 yards there’s a pretty thick brush which covers the trail. Just keep your line and you’ll be fine. I got a later start than I wanted, on the trail by 8 AM. Took about two hours 15 minutes to get to the top, enjoyed the view for about 20 minutes with some new friends. Took about two hours coming off the ridge.
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Apache plume in full bloom in early June. Steep going up at times and levels out near Three Gun Springs intersection. Whitewash is shaded and level for about 3/4 mile. Massive boulders to climb up on to get a beauty 360° view. From then on it's an unGodly steep decent in parts on a scree covered trail. Go early in the morning.
★
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Steady incline, lovely workout, great views. Best to do early morning or late afternoon, bright sun most of the time, or walking through Juniper pinion forest. In late May, barrel cactus just starting to bloom.
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This is part of the trail that goes around three pistols. Jokingly calling it a holster
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Wow! Kudos to whoever does trail maintenance on this gorgeous trail. Path is very clear, branches and Cactus are well managed along the way. Thank you! In mid April, trail head parking was full by 9 AM. Very popular trail. Steady grade, and this year there’s more water than usual so the streams are a little trickles and it’s completely fabulous. Enjoy the wildflowers!
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The nicest neighborhood in Albuquerque for an energizing stroll. No sidewalks though, so a little care is needed.
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Easy & quick hike. Beautiful views & not crowded except for the mt. bikers, who are always courteous in our passing. If you only have about an hour, great choice!
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The main part of the hike is a loop high in the north Sandias. The bushwhack down to the arch and back was very challenging as was the route finding. We did it during height of color so the Aspens were spectacular.
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A nice loop hike west of La
Luz included a hike down a beautiful canyon to the Sandia Pueblo border and returned on a higher ridge.Great views all around.
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Beautiful hidden valley in the Sandia Foothills. The first part is fairly flat but it steepens further up and involves scrambling
and some bushwhacking. Great views .
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A great loop hike in the southern Sandia Foothills includes some beautiful bouldered ridge walking and wide views .
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Annual can’t miss hike to see the largest Aspen stand in the Sandia Mountains
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Amazing Overland route. Being Labor Day weekend and an elk hunt going on, this was the busiest I’ve seen it. I did this in 2 days, but could have been a 3 or 4 day journey
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Majestic closeup views of the Sandia mountain that you can reach within a two mile hike!
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Oso Ridge Trail. Probably the most vertical feet elevation gain so close to a parking lot.
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Weather was great, got a little windy near the top. Some downed trees you have to cross but doable. Everything is coming into bloom, so it will be very dense and beautiful soon, except for the burn scar areas. Will be going back to summit it, probably later this summer.
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It is a very pretty view from the top , with lots of cliff faces to look at. There are some spots with very sharp inclines, but mostly flat grassland with dead trees.
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North Sandia Peak is the second highest point in the Sandia Mountains.
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Getting to the Ridge is a task, but once there it is one of the most scenic hikes I have done. Love it!
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Epic but def be prepared in downhill xcD skis or AT setup. Skinny boys might be tough!!
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A great hike through high desert, but very steep and slippery in places. The view is worth it if you can handle the terrain.
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Beautiful fall colors and a lot of cars on the road on the way there but not too busy once we were on the trail.
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Such an amazing run - see it all!! Running up at elevation is tough though. Amazing views.
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Awesome loop with hundred mile views. Solid elevation either way of the loop. Go CCW for a big .75 mile 1000 ft climb , go CW for a steady and chill climb and big descent. 10/10
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This is a difficult but rewarding hike along the North Crest area of Sandia mountain. The main objective was a visit to a small arch. Along the way to and from the arch you pass through some amazing terrain with many views of northern New Mexico, including the Albuquerque area.
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Out and back from tree spring trail to south crest at tramway terminus then back. Easy/moderately trafficked. Slow elevation gain made for easy miles
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Out and back from tree spring trail to south crest at tramway terminus then back. Easy/moderately trafficked. Slow elevation gain made for easy miles
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Started at 8am on August 29th, 2021, a beautiful Sunday and the hike in the trail covered with trees was cool . On the way back it was very busy with people and their dogs but very friendly. Great hike , short of Sandia Peak by 1/2 mile.
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Great Hike for my 73rd birthday preparation for the Grand Canyon at the end of the month.
Quite challenging and hard on your feet on the way down. Time 4h 10mn, 10mn rest at the top.
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Woo doggy! Beautiful on the way up then killer steep downhill runs on the way out. No clear lookout but great views regardless. Brilliant multi-climate zone hike!
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Awesome hike up the mountain but keep in mind that the views are on the way not up too! Moderate trail not too strenuous. 2800 foot climb , 9 miles round trip for just the pink trail .
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Difficult as a trail run. Close to 2k vertical elevation. I also just ran/walked it 2 weeks out from some cracked ribs so take that with a grain of salt.
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Beautiful hike. Stream was running, no people, lots of wild flowers in bloom. Thick lush vegetation on some parts, huge pine trees on others. You can also take a drive up to capilla peak when you’re done.
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Great off-roading trail through Cedro area in Tijeras. Air down at Sandia ranger station then short (less than a mile) drive on pavement before you reach the dirt. Mostly small rocks on the main trail with a few more moderate/hard obstacles which are marked
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I started at Piedra Lisa (PL) TH parking area. Followed a trail north for a while, then walked the road for a little bit to the “grand arroyo”. Then followed a trail that lead to a water tank & kept following trail up 3 hills. I went down off trail thinking I would end up on PL but turned out to be an arroyo a ways east of the trail. So I backtracked to the trail & went back to my cars. Took a short cut due to rain rolling in
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The trail starts out in the high desert foothills with lots of rocks to maneuver around. Look for the fork to the right that goes down into a stream bed. Look for an orange arrow painted on a rock. Scramble up the rocks to your right behind a small notched tree stump. This starts your trek into a shady stream area with running water and mini waterfalls (in May). There is a variety of vegetation including juniper and ponderosa pine. Closer to the crash site, there are a lot of steep rocks To scramble over. Be sure to veer to the left to avoid running into a boulder in the slot canyon. The crash site is a very somber and sacred place. I was privileged to have been able to stay there a while.
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A great hike with variety, some steep & rocky sections. Possible to continue all the way up to South Peak, and beyond.
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This is a great hike for iNaturalist nerds like me because of the diversity of plants and wildlife.
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This was my first mountain hike in New Mexico. It was winter with fresh snowfall over a dense snowpack so I lost the trail a couple of times, but it was easy to find again. Lots of wildlife, very relaxing hike!
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The trail is popular and well maintained. Great views! Very crowded later in the day though.
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Summertime dirt roads quite bumpy. Wintertime snow pack and able to traverse in 4high.
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Beautiful views, great hike when covered in snow. My dog was in heaven. Definitely on the moderate strenuous inbound.
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Great afternoon hike with great views. A definite must hike in the Sandia’s.
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Truly one of our favorite hikes, especially in the fall when pinions are at their best. Sometimes excessive, unleashed dogs on the trail can be quite distracting. We have found that hiking mid-week is best to avoid the crowds and unruly dogs. A great location for a decent workout close to town.
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I went early and there was only one other person on the trail. It was crisp at 26 degrees when I began but warmed up to 50 by my return. Its a beautiful, well-traveled trail with some rock jumping as you get higher. I did not complete the trail as I had a work appointment. I highly recommend to anyone to try at least a portion of La Luz.
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This is an interesting hike that’s best done in the cooler season. It has a mix of very easy stretches punctuated with scrambles over rocks and a long switchback out of the steep walls of the embudo canyon. The top of the hike, which meets two other popular trails, greets you with a collection of very different and all exquisite views. You get a rock face to the east, a seemingly endless series of mountains to the south, and a view of the city and beyond to the west. I can’t think of anywhere else in the Sandias that gives you so much variety to look at.
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Fun loop. Great terrain. Go counterclockwise. Take backup nav just in case - there are a few false trails on the Northern part of the route. Would not do in slippery conditions.
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La Luz is the most popular hike in the Sandias. It’s quite beautiful and interesting. Best hiked spring and fall.
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This hiking counter-clockwise, this hike quickly gets steep and stays that way as you walk up a ridge. But the steepness is easy to ignore as the views are spectacular on that whole climb. I cut my hike short bath the unnamed path that splits this hike to give me a beautiful 2-1/2 mile workout. Though that cutoff is very steep, the path heading back is fairly flat and makes a pleasant and interesting walk out.
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Climbed it on a day without much wind, which was phenomenal. Fuel up and this trail is stunning!!
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Nice trail through the mountainair district. Roads are maintained. It’s to be noted most of the trail is closed during winter months.
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May be on the shorter end of the hikes I’ve done but what it lacks in distance it makes up in elevation gain! The wreck is a cool place to see, and the trail itself has much wildlife, saw many birds, some deer, and a rattlesnake.
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May be on the shorter end of the hikes I’ve done but what it lacks in distance it makes up in elevation gain! The wreck is a cool place to see, and the trail itself has much wildlife, saw many birds, some deer, and a rattlesnake.
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This is a beautiful relatively easy hike up to a gorgeous view of the West side of the Sandia mountains looking down on Albuquerque.
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I love this trail. The scenery changes so much throughout the hike. The mileage is actually closer to 9 miles but I wandered around a bit at the top. Photos are hazy due to smoke from a forest fire in Arizona.
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This out and back hike is a good workout. The first 2.5 miles are pretty exposed and hot in the summer, but there’s nice tree cover once you reach the intersection with Embudo, and there are great views West and South as you make your way toward Oso Pass. You can continue another 1.5 miles up Embudito from Oso Pass to reach South Peak, and there are lots of options for extending this hike or making loops if you’d like.
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Neat rock formations in Red Canyon and beautiful views from the crest trail. Good tree cover most of the way with a few mountain meadows.
Going up Red Canyon gets the steepest part over with first.
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This was a very nice hike through misty shaded pine forest. It’s a pretty easy trail and a good hike for families. I’d even recommend this trail for smaller children, even if they just go a little way.
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This is a rating for MTB. These trails were pretty easy, flowed well, and could keep you busy for a good ride. No serious elevation on this route.
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This is a good and fairly challenging MTB loop that o ride regularly. You can hike in the area, and a lot of people do, but it’s most popular with MTB. The area is also open to horseback riding and dirt biking.
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This is a nice trail! It’s in the pine forest and has pretty good cover from the sun. It’s got a mild gain of about 950ft where it intersects with the Crest trail. It’s worth continuing on the crest trail for just a bit to get over the ridge to a great view of Albuquerque.
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The views 100 miles out are stunning. The trail has soft footing with some challenges. There were lots of fallen trees to go around and over. Sandia Crest was our lunch spot before we descended through a confusing mix of trails to get back to the 10k TH. GPS is a must to get through the multiple trail crossovers on the descent. One of my favorite hikes!!!!
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Great hike though challenging! Once you top mostly on whitewash, there are wonderful piñon trees, oak and juniper. Wildflowers, birds and some ladybugs were abundant. Dry conditions, moisture is needed per usual. Recommend this hike!
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Nice easy hike. Most of the ground is soft pack dirt, not a lot of rocks if you stick to the trail. Great view of Sandia south peak. A bit of confusion on finding the spring. Maps show it off the east branch but as I came across the north edge found marker post pointing west for 1.4 miles. Found a non marker trail near the top of the west side of the trail, had potential of being where the spring would be.
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Starting at trailhead for 3-Gun springs, this loop takes a tour of two separate routes to South Sandia Peak. In this hike you get amazing views of the Sandia Mountains in all directions and from every elevation. As soon as you cross into the national forest, you bear right (East) to follow Hawk Watch Trail. Hawk Watch is a typical Sandia lower elevation trail for 2/3 of its length; it is exposed to lots of sun and takes you through a scenic desert environment. Easy and moderate climbing, until you reach the upper third of its length. There is about 3/4-mile at the top of Hawk Watch where your legs get a tough workout. Switchbacks are gone and you plow straight up the mountain on a very steep grade. Very strenuous for a bit. Just ahead of joining the Creat Trail, piñon trees begin to provide some occasional shade. You follow the Crest for a mile or two, and the grade feels downright easy after the top of Hawk Watch. On the crest, you peek a brilliant western view of the city and the volcanic wonderland beyond, then you cut to see some eastern views. When you hit the easy turn for Embudito, you are taking an easy stroll through a ton of those Oak Shrubs which cover this mountain. Embudito will lead you west over the top of the mountain and serving up one of the best views on the mountain, looking down the Embudito valley. A clear sign on that top ridge points to a trail leading north to the South Peak. The South Peak trail is almost flat with a couple sections where you climb around on some boulders, but nothing technical or beyond the ability of a hiker that reaches it. South Peak is a brilliant view in all directions, with an especially breathtaking view looking north down the length of the Sandia Sierra. Head back to Embudito if you can pull yourself off the summit. Take Embudito west down the mountain and enjoy great city views and views to the south as well. You will hit 3-Gun about 1.5 or 2 miles west of the turn into Embudito. Hang a left to head south in 3-Gun (there is a gray signpost to show the path of Embudito and 3-Gun. The walk south on 3-Gun back to the car is another easy 4 miles or so. The top mile or two of 3-Gun are great with views west and south and lots of delightful things to see like a stream and several of the Sandia medallion trees.
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This is an out and back which increasingly gets steeper until you turn around. It also goes much further than where the app shows the turnaround to be. I turned around where the app indicated but would have gone on had my wife not thrown in the towel already. I wouldn’t do this one in summer. Bring food and snacks!
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The app will take you to a random neighborhood and up through and arroyo to find the trail. I recommend parking at elena gallegos and getting on the trail from there. Once you get past the wreckage, the terrain becomes very steep, hard packed snow and ice near the top. Gorgeous views from the Ridgeline.
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This is the best area to cross country ski in the Sandia’s. The trails range from a Jeep road to back country hiking trails.
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Loop up whitewash and down embudo. Starts and ends at Indian school trailhead.
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We hiked up to the crash site on a cool fall day. Beautiful weather and a great hike. I had not been up to the site in years but I still love this hike.
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I went out just for the exercise. This area is great for that! Can make it as long, short, tough, or easy as you wish! ☺️
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I started at Placitas Open Space, followed established trail for awhile then went off trail for a bit. Climbed up hill #2 (Self-named), then down to trail, then over to hill #1, back to Strip Mine trail, then back to my car.
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This area is multi use. Hikers bikers motorcyclists jeeps all enjoy these trails. It would awesome.
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stars
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From the Red Canyon campground trailhead we hiked up Spruce Spring trail, along the Crest trail and down the Red Canyon trail – with a short, but sweet detour up Gallo Peak. Spruce Canyon trail takes a gradual route up to a saddle. A carpet of pine needles, golden Quacking Aspen and peek-a-boo views combined for a great hike. We left the trail to summit Gallo Peak where we enjoyed lunch and the view from the top. Quite the contrast looking down at the desert expanse reaching out from both sides of the little Manzano mountain range. Well marked, easy to follow trail.
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