Adventures in the Sandias
Education Through Observation
(updated Jan 28, 2023)
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. – Psa 90:2
Day-hikes for youth and adults capable of hiking about six hours in moderate mountain terrain. Group size limited to 12 people.
Please RSVP – info@nmsciencefoundation.org.
Bring water, hat, snacks, and lunch. Bring poncho in case of rain on the trail. Most of the trails are sheltered by trees and pace will be easy. Hikes may be canceled for inclement weather (ten day forecast) or fire restrictions (Sandia Ranger District). Look for cancellations posted on this website.
Mask mandate ended Feb 17, 2022 thus concluding the worldwide pandemic that began Mar 13, 2020.
Be sure to RSVP if planning to hike.
Hikes may be rescheduled or cancelled.
Sat, Oct 8, 2022 (La Luz Trail)
Theme: Historic La Luz Trail www.laluztrail.com
Departure: La Luz trailhead
Destination: Sandia Peak
Tram
http://sandiapeak.com/index.php?page=tram-hours-of-operation
Area: Hike thru four different
life
zones
Last
Weekend of Balloon Fiesta
Special equipment: oxygen as needed for infrequent hikers
Departure Time: 8am (approx 6 hours to the tram)
Visit Ten
3 and return on the Sandia
Tram
Tram tickets must be purchased online
Transportation
required back to trailhead
or pickup at Tram
Sat, Nov 19, 2022
Theme: You make springs gush forth in the vadis; they flow between the hills, supplying water to all the wild animals; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. – Ps 104:10 (CJB)
Departure: Montecello Parking Area (free parking)
Carnuel exit off I-40, 1.5 mi
east on old 66
look for brown hiking sign into Montecello
subdivision, north to trailhead
Destination: Three Gun Springs (Tres Pistoles) and crash site if interested
Area: Easy trail to the springs. Legend that three Spanish Conquistador pistols were found near the springs. Challenging hike to aircraft wreck from 3GS (steep and no trail). Hot dogs & marshmallows.
Departure Time: 9am
Sat, Dec 17, 2022 (Carlito Springs)
Departure: Canyon Estates
Trailhead
limited parking so please try to carpool
Area: Easy, 2-mile loop, running spring water year round
Departure Time: 9:30am
Sat, Jan 21, 2023
Theme: Isa 60:13 The fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary.
Departure: Elena Gallegos, Pino Trail Parking Area ($2 fee per car)
Destination: Pino Canyon, campfire and locate the airplane crash marker
Area: Pino means Pine in Spanish.
Spruce and fir dominate the high country.
Be prepared for
snow. Hot dogs & marshmallows.
Departure Time: 9:30am (approx 4 hours)
Sat,
Feb 25,
2023 (Waterfall
or Movie Trail)
(hike
delayed due to science day at the Nuclear
Museum)
https://www.nuclearmuseum.org/visit/events/discover-steam-day-february
Theme: Lonely are the Brave (watch the movie on Amazon)
Trail closed Mar 1 to Aug 15 every year
Departure: Piedra Lisa Trailhead (N of La Luz)
Destination (2023): Waterfall
(3.5 mile
RT)
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-mexico/piedra-lisa-to-waterfall
Campfire with hotdogs and marshmallows
Movie Trail:
Lonely are the Brave
Geocache
https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC178Y3_lonely-are-the-brave
(as
requested, weather permitting)
Area: Trail is steep at times and difficult to see, but trackable by GPS
Special Treat: extensive footage
of the Sandias in Lonely are the
Brave
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056195/locations
Departure Time: 9:30am (approx 4 hours)
Sat, Mar 18, 2023 (Post Pass)
Theme: Over the mountain and thru the woods
Departure: Three Gun Trailhead (Monticello Parking Area)
Destination: Embudo Canyon Parking Area (Indian School)
Area: Steady climb to Post Pass, then downhill to Embudo Spring
Special Arrangements: vehicles at both ends or pick up
Departure Time: 9:30am (approx 4 hours)
Sat, Apr 15, 2023 (Cienega Loop)
Theme: Springs of Life
Distance: ~ 4 mile loop
Departure: Sulphur Canyon parking (south of Doc Long)
Destination: Sulphur Spring, Wolf Spring, Toro Spring, and several geocaches
Area: Ciénaga is a Spanish term meaning desert marsh, bog or shallow, slow-moving flow of water through dense surface vegetation. A ciénega (also spelled ciénaga) is a wetland system unique to the American Southwest. Ciénagas are alkaline, freshwater, spongy, wet meadows with shallow-gradient, permanently saturated soils in otherwise arid landscapes that often occupied nearly the entire widths of valley bottoms.
Visit site of most recent crash site (Nov 2015) – NTSB investigation
Afterglow: Visit
Tinkertown Museum on the way
home
https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Years-Behind-Mast-Theodora/dp/0979312477
Departure Time: 9:30am (approx 4 hours) – Daylight Savings Time
Sat, May 6, 2023 (Family 50 Bicycle Ride)
Theme: Stop and Smell the Roses (Mac Davis, 1974)
Departure: Smith’s Parking Lot (Central & Tramway)
Destination: Official 50-mile loop bicycle ride around Albuquerque
Area: Official route modified to use southern bike routes back to Smith’s Parking Lot
Departure Time: 7am (approx 6 hours)
Sat, May 20, 2023 (Bosque Peak)
Long drive to the trailhead but
the adventure is worth the effort.
NEW –
detail story of the 1890
settlement
Departure: Bosque Peak Trailhead
Destination: cave, crash site,
historic gravesite, geocaches, and cabin
ruins
https://www.kxnm.org/el-bosque-homestead.html
Area: Gradual climb to Bosque Peak going slow to enjoy the sights
Departure Time: 9am (approx 6 hours)
https://nmdigital.unm.edu/digital/collection/loslunas/id/500/
Sat, Jun 17, 2023
Theme: Father's Day
Departure: Elena Gallegos, Pino Trail Parking Area ($2 fee per car)
Destination: 1955 TWA aircraft wreck in TWA Canyon
Area: Variety of vegetation as
hikers ascend from desert to lush forest. Add a rock to the
rock house. Watch out for heavy poison ivy along creek bed in
Dominga Baca Canyon.
Share some praise &
worship at Worship Rock. Enjoy peaceful Aspen Grove
waterfall. Conquer the rock wall.
Departure Time: 8am (approx 6 hours or make it a day to avoid heat)
Sat, July 15, 2023
Theme: Landmarks in life
Departure: Spain Trailhead Parking Area (east end of Spain) (free parking)
Destination: 1941 A-17 aircraft
wreck in Bear Canyon
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/114840
Special equipment: bring gloves to protect hands from brush and rocks
Bring lunch. Cache ice
cooler for return. Hot dogs for dinner.
Bring a book, a
game, or just share a story. Plan to make it a day.
Area: Spectacular view of entire
Bear Canyon and pristine hiking along creek bed.
View
massive 50' rock monument. Locate geocaches.
Departure Time: 8am (approx 6 hours or make it a day to avoid heat)
Sat, Aug 19, 2023 – James Collins Memorial Hike
Theme: Navigation through life
Departure: Canyon Estates Trailhead Parking Area (north of Tijeras) (free parking)
Destination: 1964 Piper Commanche PA24 aircraft near Hondo Canyon - bring a GPS and practice finding coordinates; geocache at the site placed by legendary hiker James Collins
Area: Continuous tree cover from beginning to end. Visit Travertine Waterfall and cave. Hike a portion of the CCC trail named for the Civilian Conservation Corps who constructed the trail in the 1930s. Look for the historic tree marker on the CCC trail.
Departure Time: 8am (approx 6 hours)
Mon, Sep 4, 2023 (Labor Day)
Theme: Pro 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics1/RefinersFire2.htm
Departure: Mystery
Trailhead
Park in area across road (Hwy 536) from
trailhead (free)
Destination: Smelter Ruins
Area: Barro Canyon, North
Mystery Trail, Tecolote Canyon
Study up on NM mining and
discuss some geology and
chemistry.
http://agmc.info/uploads/education/new_mexico/New_Mexico_Mining_History.pdf
https://westernmininghistory.com/state/new-mexico/
http://agmc.info/uploads/education/new_mexico/Overview_Of_Early_Mining_History_In_New_Mexico.pdf
Afterglow: grab a hot dog at the Shell Station Grill
Departure Time: 9am (approx 3 hours)
