Sandia Mountains, Albuquerque

The Sandia Mountains are Albuquerque, New Mexico’s most prominent natural landmark, and quite a handsome one as well!  They are host to many of the attractions and activities that make the outdoor Albuquerque lifestyle so appealing. The Sandias are used for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and hang gliding in the summer, and skiing (including cross-country), snowshoeing, and snowboarding in the winter. The Sandia Tramway takes visitors to Sandia Peak, the 10,000 foot crest of the Sandias. Also, The Turquoise Trail on the east side of the Sandia mountains is a scenic highway drive with fascinating historic stops from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.

The photo at the top of this page shows one of my favorite views of the Sandia mountain range in Albuquerque, as seen from the grounds of The Coronado State Monument ( I-25, exit 242) in Bernalillo. This was captured in the late fall I believe when snow first begn to arrive in the higher elevations of the Sandias. The building seen in the mid-ground is a Jackalope store, a colorful southwestern home decor store very popular in the Albuquerque area.

This photo shows Sandia Peak, in Albuquerque during the height of the winter ski season (February, 2005). This breathtaking vista shows the east side of the Sandia and one of the ski lifts. This view alone is worth the exciting Sandia Tramway ride even if you are not a winter sports buff!

This photo shows a view of the Sandia Mountains from the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This photo shows a trailhead from the Elena Gallegos Picnic Area in Northeast Albuquerque,on an overcast fall morning. Nestled at the base of the Sandia Mountains, this 640-acre park is a nature lover’s gem. At an elevation of about 6,500 feet, visitors can view Mt. Taylor to the west, the Jemez Mountains to the north and the vast Tijeras Arroyo to the south. This is a beautiful area to have a picnic, hike a variety of trails, or go biking!

This photo shows a view of the Sandia Mountains from the Coronado State Monument in Bernalillo in the fall. This monument is named for Francisco Vasquez de Coronado who is thought to have camped near this site with his soldiers in 1540 while searching for the fabled Cities of Gold but instead found thriving agricultural villages inhabited since 1300 AD. Today you can visit this historical site on a 1/5 mile interpretive trail leading to a reconstructed kiva that was excavated in the 1930s. It is also a great vantage point for viewing the Rio Grande and Sandia Mountains as they intersect with the city of Albuquerque

For many Albuquerque dwellers, one of the most enjoyable features of the Sandias are the glowing watermelon colors they display during sunset (the word sandia is spanish for watermelon). These photos of the Sandias were captured over the past five years in various seasons. Photos by Donald Peterson.

Tags: Albuquerque, New Mexico