Elena Gallegos Open Space: Nature Trail (Blog Hike #481)

Trail: Nature Trail

Hike Location: Elena Gallegos Open Space

Geographic Location: east side of Albuquerque, NM (35.16328, -106.47017)

Length: 0.9 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2014

Overview: A desert nature trail to a small spring.

Park Information: http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/lands/elena-gallegos-open-space

Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Albuquerque, take Tramway Blvd. NE to Simms Park Road.  Turn east on Simms Park Road.  Simms Park Rd. deadends at the Elena Gallegos Open Space.  Pay the small entrance fee, then turn right to drive the park’s main loop road.  After the road climbs to its highest point, park in either of the parking lots beside the restroom building on the right side of the road.

The hike: Located in eastern Albuquerque at the foot of the Sandia Mountains, Elena Gallegos Open Space protects 640 acres of sandy desert land.  The park is named for a wealthy Spanish colonist who came to possess this land via a Spanish land grant in the early 1700’s.  The open space features two reservation areas and seven picnic areas, but most of the park is undeveloped desert.

            I came to this open space while I was waiting for the fog to clear before riding the nearby Sandia Tram, so I only wanted a short stroll.  The park’s Nature Trail described here fit the bill perfectly.  The trail provides a good feel for the desert and takes you to Cottonwood Springs, a rare green oasis in the desert landscape. 

The Nature Trail connects with many of the park’s other trails and with the trails of adjacent Cibola National Forest, so you can easily extend this hike if you wish.  Simply download a park trail map and explore. Note that at the time of this writing the trail map could only be downloaded by clicking “Elena Gallegos Map” among the blue bars on the left side of the park’s webpage, not by using the .pdf link in the main white part of the webpage.

Pino Trail trailhead

            Start at the Pino Trail trailhead, which is located at an information board beside a paved trail about 20 feet to the right of the restroom building.  Almost immediately the Nature Trail forks to form its square-shaped loop.  As directed by a sign, this description will turn left to leave the pavement and hike the loop clockwise.

Crossing an arroyo

            The dusty trail descends slightly as it passes a picnic table and crosses a small arroyo.  This arroyo is dry most of the year, so getting across is not a problem.  The trail climbs gradually away from the arroyo and, 0.2 miles into the hike, comes to a junction.  The ADA-accessible paved trail going left leads to a secondary parking area, and the trail going right will eventually continue our loop.  For now, continue straight to reach a wooden wildlife observation blind that overlooks Cottonwood Springs.  Due to some tall aquatic grass, I could hear but not see the birds and mammals that call this spring home.

Cottonwood Springs

            Back on the main loop, the trail heads east as it climbs gradually to reach a wider trail that is shared with mountain bikers.  As directed by another sign, turn right to head south on the third leg of the Nature Trail.  The trail dips back through the arroyo as you pass a large boulder on the right.  Numbered posts indicate the existence of a trail guide, but I could not find one on my visit.

            Just past 0.6 miles, you reach an intersection with the Pino Trail.  Turn right one more time at this intersection.  The final leg of the loop is an easy downhill glide with the restroom building and parking area visible straight ahead the entire way.  If you wish, you can take a short detour and walk through the Philip Tollefsrud Memorial, a collection of enscribed boulders dedicated to a 1970’s leader in establishing Albuquerque’s open spaces.  At the end of the boulder collection lies the Pino Trail trailhead, which signals the end of the hike.

Santa Fe Canyon Preserve: Interpretive Trail (Blog Hike #480)

Trail: Interpretive Trail

Hike Location: Santa Fe Canyon Preserve

Geographic Location: east side of Santa Fe, NM (35.68644, -105.89511)

Length: 1.5 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2014

Overview: A short loop around Santa Fe’s old municipal water reservoir.

Preserve Information: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/santa-fe-canyon-preserve/

Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Santa Fe, drive east on Alameda Street 1.3 miles to Upper Canyon Road.  Turn left on Upper Canyon Road.  Drive narrow, suburban Upper Canyon Rd. 1.3 miles to Cerro Gordo Road.  Turn left on Cerro Gordo Road, drive less than 200 feet, then turn right into the gravel preserve parking area.  The trail starts at the rear of the parking area.

The hike: When you think of historical attractions in Santa Fe, municipal water is probably not the first category to come to mind.  Nevertheless, Santa Fe would not have become the city it is today without a clean, reliable source of water.  Built in 1894, the reservoir that sat on the site featured here would serve the city’s water needs for nearly a century.  Today larger reservoirs located further upstream serve the same purpose.

            In 1994, the dam that formed the 1894 reservoir was partially dismantled, and the lake was drained.  The site was transferred to The Nature Conservancy in 2000, and they manage it as a nature preserve today.  The preserve’s only trail is the 1.5 mile Interpretive Trail described here, but the preserve also offers access to Santa Fe’s extensive Dale Ball Trail system, which offers almost unlimited hiking and biking opportunities through desert habitat.  Like the Dale Ball Trail system, most of this hike is exposed to the sun, so wear a hat and sunscreen on summer days.

Stile at trailhead

            Start by walking through a stile beside the green vehicle gate at the rear of the parking lot.  Almost immediately a trail linking to the Dale Ball Trail system exits to the right.  Continue straight and climb moderately but only for a short time to reach the remnant of the 1894 reservoir dam.  An interpretive sign contains some historical pictures of Santa Fe and the reservoir.

Remnant pond

            The trail descends gradually as the small pond that represents the remnant of the reservoir comes into view.  If you look just below a low metal wall on the other side of the pond (more on the wall later), you can see the vegetation change that marks the water levels in the former reservoir.  The change occurs several feet above your head, so where you are walking would have been underwater 25 years ago.

            Past the pond, the trail undulates slightly and soon comes to a fork.  The two choices come back together in 0.2 miles, so you could go either way.  The left choice takes a lower line through a wet area beside the Santa Fe River, while the right choice takes a higher line around the wet area.  I chose to angle right and take the higher line.

Trail forks

            The trail narrows and climbs gradually as it enters dense, green, almost jungle-like undergrowth.  Obviously this streamside area contains a lot more water than the surrounding desert landscape.  Just shy of 0.5 miles, you pass a couple of benches on the left that overlook the Santa Fe River as it spills over another old dam.  The greenery here is so dense that you might not see the benches until you get right to them.

Narrow trail through wet area

            Just past the benches, the trail crosses the narrow Santa Fe River on stepping stones.  Very soon after crossing the river you climb away from the creek and find yourself back in the typical desert environment.  At 0.6 miles, you reach a trail junction marked by a wooden post with a sign.  The trail going right leads to the Randall Davey Audubon Center, the official headquarters of Audubon New Mexico.  This hike turns left to stay on the Interpretive Trail.

            After a few more feet of climbing, you reach the highest point on this hike and the east end of a half-mile-long low metal wall.  This wall also has ties to municipal water: it was built in the 1930’s to prevent silt from running off the mountain and contaminating the reservoir.  A few small rocks have accumulated on the trail beside the wall, but for the most part the wall makes for easy hiking.  A bench gives a nice view of the entire preserve and the pond you walked beside earlier.

Hiking along the wall

View from bench

            1.1 miles into the hike, you reach the west end of the metal wall.  The trail curves sharply right here and passes through another stile, this one in the preserve boundary fence.  You have now left Nature Conservancy property and are walking on City of Santa Fe property.  After descending slightly, angle right where an unofficial trail heads left.  If you pass back under the boundary fence, you have missed this turn.

            The trail traces the upper reaches of a small arroyo before passing two connecting trails to the Dale Ball Trail system, both of which exit to the right.  The Interpretive Trail trail signs are oriented in confusing ways at a couple of points in this area.  A final steep descent brings you to a metal vehicle gate and the trail’s end at Cerro Gordo Road.  A left turn and short road walk are all that remain to complete the hike.