Category Archives: Albuquerque

In the vicinity of Albuquerque, NM.

Bosque Trail Through Hike – BioPark to Los Poblanos – Multiple

March 14, 2023

I’m updating this post to include other through hikes on the Bosque Trail from the BioPark to Los Poblanos.

We walk almost daily in the Bosque, the cottonwood forest along the banks of the Rio Grande, the Bosque Trail. We typically walk 3-5 miles, out-and-back, starting from 3 locations: Rio Grand Park near Tingley Beach, the BioPark, and a parking lot under I-40, by way of Floral street. Through hikes (point-to-point) are more satisfying, especially when we finish the hike with breakfast at a really nice restaurant.

The Drive In

For these hikes we start at the parking lot just off of Central Avenue, between the BioPark and the Bosque. We start by taking one of our vehicles to Los Poblanos, then in the other vehicle return to the parking lot at the Bosque Trail trailhead between the BioPark and the Rio Grande.

The Hike

BioPark to Los Poblanos Bosque Trail.2023-03-14. This track is typical of each of our through hikes.

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

Our customary routine is to be “on the go” when the local coffee shop, Java Joes, opens at 0630. We get our drinks (chai latte for Pat, hot chocolate for me) and either walk through the Huning Castle (or Country Club) neighborhood to the Bosque, or drive to the trailhead of choice for that day. This morning, after the change to Savings Time, it was dark and a bit cold, but we were at the BioPark and on the trail by 0715.

The Bosque Trail is well used, 2-person wide and for much of its distance packed clay – very easy walking. (For the distance, as an alternative, the wide levee along the main acequia is available when it is muddy in the Bosque proper). At times the trail goes along the shoreline of the Rio Grande, throughout passing through a forest of mostly cottonwood trees. In some places the trees are quite old, in other places more recent growth. Along the way we usually see porcupines high in the trees, signs of beaver activity (trails where they have dragged branches to the water), ducks and Canada geese, occasionally a coyote, and most mornings hot air balloons.

This morning, about a mile into the hike, we were greeted with a pair of the balloons among the 10 or 12 aloft. That was quite a sight – the colorful envelope in the bright early morning sun and -blue- New Mexico sky as a backdrop. The walk/hike went smoothly and making good time, enough to make our reservation at Los Poblanos.

Highlights

First – to make a through hike of nearly six miles (’tis time to get in shape for hiking in the coming months). And second – a very good breakfast at one of the nicest restaurants in Albuquerque, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm.

Statistics

03/14/2023
Total Distance: 5.92 miles
Elevation: start 4,964 ft, maximum 4,986 ft, minimum 4,956 ft
Gross gain: 30 ft. Aggregate ascending 203 ft, descending 188 ft
Maximum slope: 13% ascending, 13% descending, 0.7% average
Duration: 2:26

11/17/2023
Total Distance: 5.83 miles
Elevation: start 4,961 ft, maximum 4,985 ft, minimum 4,956 ft
Gross gain: 29 ft. Aggregate ascending 271 ft, descending 254 ft
Maximum slope: 11% ascending, 11% descending, 0.8% average
Duration: 2:48

BioPark to Los Poblanos Bosque Trail.2023-03-14 (KML) BioPark to Los Poblanos Bosque Trail.2023-11-17 (KML)	60 Downloads 29 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
BioPark to Los Poblanos Bosque Trail.2023-03-14 (GPX) BioPark to Los Poblanos Bosque Trail.2023-11-17 (GPX)	51 Downloads 35 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

Bosque Trail Hikes

References and Resources

CABQ Parks & Recreation: Paseo de Bosque Trail
AllTrails: Paseo del Bosque Trail
Los Poblanos: Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Bosque Trail Through Hike – BioPark to Los Poblanos – 09/19/2022

October 31, 2022

We walk almost daily on the Paseo del Bosque Trail along the Rio Grande, quite close to home. Typically ’tis an out-and-back walk from 2 to as many as 5 miles. For a variation, we planned a point-to-point walk from the Bio Park to a very nice place for breakfast, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm.

Is this a “hike” or a “walk”? Hikes commonly involve carrying a pack with extra water, lunch, and other gear and with a plan to have a mid-hike break for lunch. We don’t carry a pack for Walks. There was a time when distance influenced the category, but these days we take “walks” in the Bosque for which the distance is as much as we typically go for “hikes”. I suppose since a meal (breakfast) was included in this outing and it was long as our typical hike, I’m dubbing it a “hike”.

The Drive In

We began by parking our Subaru near Los Poblanos where there is ready access to an offshoot of the Bosque Trail, 3/10ths or a mile off of Rio Grande Blvd NW on on Dietz Farm Rd NW (just south of Montaño). We then returned with the Tacoma to the parking area for a trailhead just off of Rio Grande Blvd, adjacent to the Biopark.

The Hike

Bosque Trail Through Hike-Los Poblanos.Pat.2022-09-19

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The Bosque Trail is so very pleasant in the early morning hour with the low angle of the sun highlighting the river, cottonwoods, and .. the New Mexico blue sky. We’ve walked the trail so many times, in sections on our morning walks, that it was a pleasure to go point-to-point, get our 5+ miles without having to retrace our steps. Oh, and Los Poblanos is a great place to have breakfast, this day sitting outdoors

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.23 miles
Elevation: start 4,961 ft, maximum 4,985 ft, minimum 4,955 ft
Gross gain: 30 ft. Aggregate ascending 233 ft, descending 218 ft
Maximum slope: 7% ascending, 10% descending, .8% average
Duration: 1:54

Bosque Trail Through Hike-Los Poblanos.Pat.2022-09-19 (KML)	98 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Bosque Trail Through Hike-Los Poblanos.Pat.2022-09-19 (GPX)	99 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

Posts for Bosque Trail

References and Resources

City of Albuquerque Parks & Recreation: Paseo del Bosque Trail
AllTrails: Paseo del Bosque Trail

George's Photos w/ captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Los Lunas Hills Trail Hike – 01/29/2021

February 22, 2021

‘Tis winter, a weekday for hiking, we chose a place close to home. But this is another that we have driven past many times (like Seville NWR), sometimes wondering about hiking there.

The Drive In

On I-25 to Los Lunas, turn wests on NM 6. About 1 mile on, turn left (south) on Huning Ranch Loop SW (don’t turn at the 1st intersection for Huning Ranch Loop SW, go to the 2nd intersection). About .75 miles south on Huning Ranch, turn right on Lonestar St SW. To get to the start of our hike, turn left at the ‘T’, right again at the next intersection, and left again at the ‘T’; park in the circle. We took the trail that proceed south, down into an arroyo and then a steep climb up a very sandy trail.

The Hike

Los Lunas Hills Trail Hike.Pat.2021-01-29

Our hike began with a steep descent into an arroyo, then a steep climb up a very sandy trail. From there it was a steady climb on a sometimes rocky trail. And this trail is exposed with no cover, no juniper, a few cholla. The views are great, northeast to the Sandias, north to the Jemez, east across the Rio Grande valley to the Manzanos, and west across the Isleta Indian Reservation and beyond the Rio Puerco valley and Mount Taylor in the distance.

We topped out on El Cerro de Los Lunas, discovering a tall rock cairn marking the spot. The weather this day was a bit chilly and windy, not the most common conditions for New Mexico, so we didn’t dally long. On the return, at a ‘Y’ in the trail we bore to the left which turned out to be a bit shorter route than on the way up. We found along the way enough of a juniper to shelter us from the wind, where we had our mid-hike break.

Highlight

Los Lunas Hills make for a good workout, close to Albuquerque, easy access from I-25, and offers a different vantage point for viewing the territory south of the city. And there are numerous well-used trails one can follow to further explore Los Lunas Hills.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.47 miles
Elevation: start 5,097 ft, maximum 5,955 ft, minimum 5,057 ft
Gross gain: 898 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,026 ft, descending 5,955 ft
Maximum slope: 36% ascending, 38% descending, 10.9% average
Duration: 3:06

Los Lunas Hills Trail Hike.Pat.2021-01-29 (KML)	73 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Los Lunas Hills Trail Hike.Pat.2021-01-29 (GPX)	71 Downloads
Los Lunas Hills Trails (AllTrails) (KML)	74 Downloads
Los Lunas Hills Trails (AllTrails) (GPX)	0 Downloads

If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

Village of Los Lunas: Hiking Trails, download enlarged map
AllTrails: Los Lunas Hill from Huning Ranch

Pat's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Bosque Trail Morning Walk – 03/22/2020

March 22, 2020

It’s been another year since the last post of our morning walks; here’s the version for 2020.

Even in this time of “social distancing” due to Covid-19, it’s important for us to get outside. Fortunately we can walk from home to Open Spaces to help keep us healthy, body and spirit. So, it’s up early to get out while the sun is still in its “sunrise phase”. We call ahead for our morning drinks from Java Joe’s, pick them up at the door to honor the health precautions. Then it’s down Park Avenue, past the Country Club and to Tingley Beach (there is virtually -no- traffic on the street these days).

The Hike

Bosque Trail Morning Walk.Pat.2020-03-22

Crossing the drain alongside Tingley Dr, we discover that a barrier has been placed across the entrance to Tingley Beach (we had discovered two days ago that gates into the Beach on the other side, along the Paseo del Bosque Trail, and into the parking lots had been closed and locked). With the Beach closed, we continued on the roadway alongside the Drain to Central Avenue. We saw numerous pairs of mallard ducks and Canada geese and even a muskrat.

Walking a short distance from the drain along Central Avenue, we entered the Bosque trails. We made our usual stop at the pier overlooking the Rio Grande to enjoy the open skies view, check the level of the River, and do some stretching of our leg muscles. Back on the trail, we stop by the two ponds that are havens for wildlife: many kinds of waterfowl and, in the previous two days, a pair of golden eagles in trees on the far side of the 2nd pond.

From the ponds it’s back across the Bosque Bike Trail, the drain, and into the residential neighborhood. We walk across the end of Kit Carson Park and onto Reynolds Avenue to return home. At the corner of Kit Carson and Raynolds, we admire some more ‘wildlife’, a sculpture of a group if interesting, if imaginary animals. Then it’s on to Gold Avenue and home. Almost 4 miles – fresh air, time with Mother Nature, and keeping up the fitness for hiking – there are so many amazing places we plan on visiting here in New Mexico.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.75 miles
Elevation: start 4,951 ft, maximum 4,964 ft, minimum 4,948 ft
Gross gain: 16 ft. Aggregate ascending 131 ft, descending 130 ft
Maximum slope: 7% ascending, 6% descending, 0.8% average
Duration: 2:24

Bosque Trail Morning Walk.Pat.2020-03-22 (KML)	79 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Bosque Trail Morning Walk.Pat.2020-03-22 (GPX)	72 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

The Volcanoes Trail Hike – 05/14/2019

May 14, 2019

Today we headed to the Volcanoes for a other “Urban” hike, places close to the city offering quite easy hiking conditions. From our upstairs window we look out at the Volcanoes each morning so they constantly beckon us.

The Drive In

The Volcanoes is part of the Petroglyph National Monument, having evolved from a ranch 50+ years ago, then becoming part of Albuquerque’s Open Spaces in the ’70s and becoming part of the Monument in the ’90s. There is ample parking at the trailhead (open from 9:00 to 5:00 daily; at other times park at the entrance gate).

The Hike

The trails range from groomed gravel or sand, some sections of hard clay, and rocky stretches as one ascends onto the slopes of the cones. As you can see from the photos, there are no trees or even shrubs; hike early or late, or plan on a day of full sun. Check the references below for trail maps and descriptions, especially the geologic history. We made two trips around Vulcan to extend our hike, having set out to do 4 miles.

Highlights

The Volcanos were a veritable flower garden – so many flowers, so many different plants.

We’ve enjoyed a lot of precipitation this winter and spring, and the flowering plants are showing the results. I lost count of the number of flowering plants that we saw, but it’s somewhere above a dozen. In many places there would be a field of 10 or 20 yards, nearly covered with yellow. In other instances we found 3, 4, even 5 different flowers mixed in together – one of Mother Nature’s bouquets. Even the grasses presented pretty pictures, glimmering in the morning sun as they waved in light breeze.

Then there are the views away from the volcanoes. The air was hazy on this day, a product of unusual high humidity I think (as noted this has been a year with lots of moisture – snow during the winter and rain this spring). Consequently details of the mountains weren’t discernible (Sandias to the east, Jemez to the north, Mount Taylor to the west, and Ladrone to the south) and the view of the City was hazy as well. Nonetheless, to be able to see such great distances in all directions is a treat.

One more feature: from the top of Vulcan one has a clean view of the Double Eagle II airport. We watched (and heard) planes in the traffic pattern, practicing landings (touch and go’s). And on this day one of the pilots is someone we are acquainted with, maybe making her first solo flight.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.92 miles
Elevation: start 5,793 ft, maximum 5,981 ft, minimum 5,792 ft
Gross gain: 189 ft. Aggregate ascending 450 ft, descending 450 ft
Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 21% descending, 4.9% average
Duration: 2:12

Volcanoes Hike.Pat.2019-05-14 (KML)	108 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Volcanoes Hike.Pat.2019-05-14 (GPX)	370 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References

National Park Service:
  Petroglyph National Monument – The Volcanoes
    Volcanoes Day Use Area
    Map of the Trails (PDF)
    A Landscape of Symbols
NM Museum of Natural History & Science: Albuquerque Volcanoes
AllTrails: The Volcanoes Trail
ASCHG: Los Volcanos Hike
ProTrails: Albuquerque Volcanoes – The Three Sisters – 2.0 miles
Wikipedia: Albuquerque volcanic field
Living Nomad Style: Petroglyphs National Monument Volcanoes Trail

Pat's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

George's Flower Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Bosque Trail Morning Walk – 05/28/2018

May 14, 2019

A late post of a “hike”, typical of our -walks- in the neighborhood, in the Bosque along the Rio Grande.

The Walk

On this route, we go through Albuquerque’s Country Club (or Huning Castle) neighborhood, then along the Bosque Bicycle Trail and into the Rio Grand Bosque itself, then back into the the northern end of the South Valley neighborhood, then north on 8th street, past the Albuquerque Zoo (and ballfields), and back home again.

Highlight

The Bosque, Spanish for woodlands, line the Rio Grande river. It is a forest of mainly cottonwood trees, with some elm and other types of trees. Most of the year, the river runs low (as in the photo above), very shallow and revealing sandbars. Then the Bosque is dry; after a winter with lots of snow in the mountains of northern New Mexico, enough water is released from the upstream dams to flood parts of the Bosque. On the trail, in some sections we wend our way through thick growth of willows. In other sections we walk among huge, wonderfully sculptural cottonwoods – whether alive or even dead. It is really a treat to have such a wild area so close to home.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.08 miles
Elevation: start 4,951 ft, maximum 4,960 ft, minimum 4,943 ft
Gross gain: 17 ft. Aggregate ascending 96 ft, descending 96 ft
Maximum slope: 8% ascending, 12% descending, 0.7% average
Duration: 1:47

Bosque Trail Hike.Pat.2018-05-28 (KML)	97 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Bosque Trail Hike.Pat.2018-05-28 (GPX)	174 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

Bosque Trail Morning Walk – 02/23/2019

February 23, 2019

It has been our practice of late, Pat and me, to make an early morning walk in our neighborhood. This morning we extended our range into the Bosque where there are some nice trails along the Rio Grande river. The day before, late in the afternoon and into the evening, the area was blanketed with light rain followed by beautiful large-flake snowfall.

The Walk

This morning was quite cold (below freezing), preserving the snow even against the bright sunshine that usually melts such snow quickly. Although streets and sidewalks were dry, lawns, rooftops, even branches on trees, anything that was insulated from the ground, still had a layer of snow.

We chose to extend our walk beyond our usual route in the Country Club neighborhood, heading through Tingley Beach and into the Bosque. Everywhere we looked – areas of grass or fallen leaves, on rooftops, even on handrails and street signs – there was a layer of snow. And on tree branches and even twigs – 1/2″ of snow. As we entered the Bosque we found ourselves surrounded by white snow on everything and glistening when looking towards the early morning sun.

Highlight

It was truly a magical setting. And even more so realizing that in an hour or so, after the sun had worked its magic warming and melting it all, it would be gone – we would be among a very few people to see this magic.

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.38 miles
Elevation: start 4,947 ft, maximum 4,962 ft, minimum 4,947 ft
Gross gain: 15 ft. Aggregate ascending 103 ft, descending 104 ft
Maximum slope: 6% ascending, 7% descending, 0.7% average
Duration: 1:27

Bosque Trail Hike.Pat.2019-02-23 (KML)	140 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Bosque Trail Hike.Pat.2019-02-23 (GPX)	51 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References

City of Albuquerque:
   Paseo del Bosque Trail
     Tingley Beach
     Rio Grande Valley State Park
Hiking Project: Albuquerque Bosque Singletrack – Southeast

Pat's Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Volcanoes Hike – 04/05/2017

April 15, 2017

Flora for this hike: Hundreds of this flowering plant in fields throughout the Monument.

Looking for a place not too far, for an afternoon walk/hike, we chose the Volcanoes, part of the Petroglyph National Monument and Albuquerque’s Open Space Lands. ‘Tis only 15 miles or so from home, and has nice trails around the Volcanoes with stupendous views across Albuquerque and the Rio Grande valley to the Sandia and Manzano mountains. And one can even see north to the Jemez and northeast to the Sangre de Cristo mountains. We’re told New Mexico has most of the dozen or so types of volcanoes on our Mother Earth. These cones are prominent on the west mesa, the western horizon seen from throughout the city.

The Hike

The trail is well traveled, sandy in some places, sections with small rocks (1″-3″ ), and a few stretches that are quite rocky (4″-7″ rocks). There are stretches with elevation gain as one can see from the altitude profile in the GoogleEarth image above. Overall this trail is not strenuous; the steepest and rockiest section is on the northern cone (furthest away in the GE image above).

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.42 miles
Elevation: start 5,792 ft, maximum 5,945 ft, minimum 5,792 ft
Gross gain: 153 ft. Aggregate ascending 422 ft, descending 422 ft
Maximum slope: 31% ascending, 13% descending, 4% average
Duration: 1:36

Volcanos.Pat.2017-04-05 (KML)	123 Downloads
GPS Track Files for Download
Volcanos.Pat.2017-04-05 (GPX)	107 Downloads

I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.

References

Albuquerque Open Space: Volcanoes
National Park Service, Petroglyph National Monument:
The Volcanoes
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science:
Albuquerque Basin Volcanic Field
New Mexico Buerau of Geology & Mineral Resources:
Petroglyph National Monument
ASCHG: Los Volcanos

George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

The Drive In

The Hike

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

Highlights

Statistics

Related Posts

References and Resources

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The Drive In

The Hike

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

Statistics

Related Posts

References and Resources

Share this:

The Drive In

The Hike

Highlight

Statistics

References and Resources

Share this:

The Hike

Statistics

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The Drive In

The Hike

Highlights

Statistics

References

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The Walk

Highlight

Statistics

Share this:

The Walk

Highlight

Statistics

References

The Hike

Statistics

References