By late March most of the snow had melted on Hwy 165 through the Cibola National Forest. When we reached NM-536, we headed north towards the Sandia Crest. NM-536, also known as the Sandia Crest Byway, is the highest scenic drive in the southwest.
The first time we drove Hwy 165 in mid-February, we saw less than five other vehicles on the road. On that visit, we turned south on NM-536. You can read about that journey in Sandia Cave and New Mexico Hwy 165.
On this Saturday in late March, there was steady traffic on Hwy 165. Since all the snow had melted, cars that would not have attempted the drive earlier in the year were driving through the forest to reach the Sandia Crest Byway.
When we reached the area we stopped at in February to pick up snow, we decided to stop and walked around. The scenery had changed since the snow had melted and the area was starting to green up a little. This visit our dogs, Max and Sadie, were along. They were ready to get out and explore.
After exiting Hwy 165, we turned northwest on NM-536 and headed to the crest. It was nice to be on pavement instead of gravel.
This is a very winding road. By the time we reached the parking lot at the Sandia Peak, Sadie’s stomach had enough of the turns. Taking her out of her crate, we saw that she had gotten sick.
There is a $3.00 fee to park at the Crest. Bring cash to place in the envelope you will pick up in the parking lot. This will make paying much easier.
We parked in the lower of the two parking lots.
The steps leading from the lower parking lot to the observation deck were a little snow and ice-covered. We carefully made our way up the stairs to the top.
The observation deck is two miles above sea level and one mile above the surrounding countryside. There are public restrooms, a restaurant and a gift shop at the crest. We did not eat at the Sandia Crest House. However, it seemed to be a popular place.Â
The Sandia Mountains do not have a summit. The high point is the long Sandia Crest ridge. At 10,678 feet in elevation, the vegetation here is different from Albuquerque, about 4,500 feet below.
The crest is also home to many towers. This picture of the broadcast towers and the upper parking lot was taken near the observation platform.
Leaving the platform, we walked the trail that follows the limestone outcrops along the ridge. In this picture, you can see the Sandia Crest House in the distance.
The trail is paved for a short distance. After that, it is packed dirt. Unfortunately, the dirt trail into the wooded area was partly snow-covered and muddy. We decided to keep ourselves and the dogs clean and skip the trail. There are many trails around the crest. You can check them out at Sandia Crest Trails.
Even though we did not take a trail, we are glad we made the drive to the crest. Being from the mid-west, we are always amazed at the fantastic views of the mountains and, especially from the mountains.