Cibola National Forest

Mountainair Ranger District
Mountainair Ranger District encompasses two mountain ranges. The Gallinas Mountains are a small isolated range west of Corona, with an elevation of 8,637 feet at Gallinas Peak, the highest point. The Manzano Mountains are a long, narrow range running north and south with elevations ranging from 6,000 to 10,098 feet at Manzano Peak. The area slopes gently up from Estancia Valley to about 8,000 feet and then rises abruptly to the peak. The west side drops sharply into the uplands of the Rio Grande Valley.The Manzanos are deceptive. When viewed from highways and roads surrounding them, they exhibit little outstanding scenery. Their real natural beauty is best appreciated at close range. Forest Road 245 from the community of Manzano provides the only vehicle access to the crest, Capilla Peak. People are surprised when they arrive at the summit and view the spectacular scenery in all directions.

Autumn Color
The yellows of aspen, reds of maple, and oranges of oaks create a visual feast from mid-September through mid-October. The brilliant red maples of Fourth of July Canyon in the Manzano Mountains create an ideal place for fall picnics. Patches of aspen interspersed with maple render surrounding mountainsides outstanding. Sandia Crest Scenic Byway offers aspen views and access to trails winding among the aspen. A two-mile hike on Crest Trail 130 north from the crest parking area takes you to one of the most beautiful aspen stands. In Las Huertas Canyon, the Virginia creeper, maples and sumac mix with the gold of aspen and box elder along a sparkling creek whose banks are filled with asters and other fall-blooming wildflowers.

Cultural Resources
Those who came before us usually left some evidence of their presence: trails, rock art, camps, houses, fields, tools, decorations. These may well be the only record we have of prehistoric people. Significant events and periods of specific cultural development are recorded by artifactual remains. All artifacts—pottery sherds, bone fragments—are cherished traces of our ancestors AND protected by law.

Some sites you may wish to visit are Sandia Cave near Placitas, Tijeras Pueblo behind Sandia Ranger Station, and Jaral Cabin near La Cueva Picnic Ground. These sites were occupied from 9,500 years ago (Sandia Cave) to 50 years ago (Jaral Cabin). Guided, interpretive tours of Tijeras Pueblo are available. Call the Ranger Station at (505) 281-3304.

Immediately east and parallel to the Manzano and Sandia mountains lies a series of basins, which have been focal points of human activity and habitation for thousands of years. "Salinas Valley," known today as Estancia sin, was named by the Spanish in the 17th century for the important salts used by Indians of the region. This basin and its environs are the backdrop for the evolving story of the original inhabitants and their encounter with Europeans as the old world met the new in the land of the Pueblo Indian.

Salinas National Monument, administered by the National Park Service, includes the ruins of three Indian Pueblos: Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira and their associated 17th century Spanish mission ruins.

Wilderness
Sandia Mountain Wilderness established through the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978, comprised 30,981 acres of the Sandia Ranger District's 100,555 acres. Acquisition of the Elena Gallegos Grant in 1981 increased it to 37,232 acres.

Hikers, horseback riders, backpackers and campers are all welcome in the wilderness. Maximum allowable group size is 25—a limit of 10 is recommended. These limits help preserve the wilderness solitude for everyone. There are more than 117 miles of hiking trails with an implicit promise of unique sights and sounds. As a designated wilderness, motorized and/or mechanized equipment, including bicycles, are prohibited.

Manzano Mountain Wilderness, created by the same act, encompasses 36,970 acres. The word Manzano is Spanish for "apple tree." In the 1700s, explorers visiting a small village on the mountains' eastern edge noted apple trees growing in the village. The trees appeared to be very old but no one knew how or when they arrived; apple trees are not native to this country. Both the village and mountains became know as Manzano.

Elevations in the wilderness range from 6,000 feet to 10,098 at Manzano Peak. You start in pinon-juniper woodlands, gradually moving into ponderosa pine stands, and end in spruce-fir forest. Terrain is steep and rugged, cut with canyons and rock outcrops. A well-developed trail system is little used, though road access to trailheads is good. Camping is somewhat limited by lack of reliable water sources.

Sandia Ranger District
Just east of Albuquerque is the most visited mountain range within New Mexico. More than two million people journey to the Sandias each year. The reasons are fairly obvious: summer air is refreshingly cool in contrast to the warmer climate at lower elevations and the possibilities for fun and relaxation are abundant during each of the four seasons. Over 250,000 visitors ride Sandia Peak Tram to the mountaintop to see a dazzling sunset and the glittering carpet of Albuquerque lights below. Four Seasons Visitor Center at the upper tram terminal offers brochures, books, and seasonally scheduled tours describing the natural and cultural history of the mountain. The crest observation deck hosts over half a million visitors annually providing magnificent panoramas, nature trails and the Sandia Crest House.

The Turquoise Trail also winds its way around the Sandia Mountains. One portion includes Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway, while the other portion leads to Santa Fe. The Turquoise Trail is an adventure in itself as it passes through "old west" towns like Golden, Madrid and Cerrillos. Take time to enjoy the views and nostalgia along this historic route.

Recreation
Sandia Mountain welcomes hikers, backpackers and picnickers. Although Cedro Group Reservation Campground is the only developed camp site, the Sandias are a treasure trove for backpack campers, birdwatchers, wildflower enthusiasts and photographers. Sandia Peak Tram, at 2.7 miles, is the world's longest double jig-back tram. It carries visitors, hanggliders and skiers to the mountaintop year-round. There are two launch sites for hanggliding in the Sandias. All hangglider pilots must be fully rated to launch from either site—watching hanggliders launch is a spectacular sight.

When winter snows cover the Sandias, the mountain provides downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and innertubing opportunities. Sandia Peak Ski Area offers a variety of downhill ski runs ranging from beginner to expert. Capulin Snow Play Area near Capulin Picnic Ground is a unique winter recreation site with two innertube runs.

With the rapid population growth of the Rio Grande and Estancia Valleys, the Manzanos are being recognized for their developed and dispersed recreation opportunities. There are six developed recreation sites in the Manzanos ranging in elevation from 6,200 feet to 91200 feet and over 100 miles of trails. There is also one primitive campground in the Gallinas Mountains.

Additional Recreation Facilities
Contact New Mexico State Parks and Recreation at (505) 827-7465 for Senator Willie Chavez Park, Coronado State Park and Manzano State Park. Contact USDI National Park Service at (505) 847-2585 for Salinas National Monument.

Contact City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Open Space Division at (505) 873-6620 for Carolino Canyon Park, Elena Gallegos Park, or Petroglyph National Monument.

Wildlife
Although the many wildflowers (including some very unique alpine ones) and trees attract visitors to the Sandia Mountains, many come just to watch raptors or birds of prey. Majestic hunters of the sky, raptors are found in most of the western United States and include hawks, eagles and falcons.

Each spring and fall thousands migrate along the crest of the Manzano and Sandia mountains. These predatory birds nest in areas as far away as Canada and winter in Mexico and Central America.

Daily counts of migrating birds are conducted each April, September, and October by Hawk Watch International to determine the number and kind of raptors that migrate through the area. These counts are valuable for assessing raptor population trends and overall ecosystem health.

There is a veritable treasure trove of birds, both common and rare, residing in the Sandias. Other wildlife you may chance to glimpse includes mule deer, black bear, mountain lion and bob cats.