New Mexico Equestrian

joannazattiero
5 days ago
8 min read

Golden Open Space - Solitude in the East Mountains

If you’re looking for a great place to ride that is both relatively close to both Albuquerque and Santa Fe and that still feels like it is well off of the beaten path, consider heading to Golden Open Space. This wonderful open space trail system is managed by the City of Albuquerque's Parks and Recreation Division and is just north of Sandia Park and west of Golden, encompassing about 1,200 acres with wonderful views of the surrounding Sandia, Jemez, Ortiz, and San Pedro mountains. Depending on where you're traveling from, the trail head is about an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive from either Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Why it is noteworthy:

Golden Open Space is a wonderful place to ride horses, hike, and ride mountain bikes and is a hidden gem compared to other CABQ open space trailheads, with users appreciating how quiet and uncrowded the trails are. The parking area sits at approximately 7,000’ and trails lead out onto a broad mesa top where visitors may see evidence of the local wild horse and burro herds, various other animals, and interesting high desert vegetation. The trail system is accessible year-round, although heavy snow or rains may make it more difficult to access.

Riding the Los Duendes / Mesa Loop trail looking East toward the San Pedro mountains

Directions/Facilities/Accessibility:

If travelling from the Albuquerque area or points farther south, take Interstate 40 to Tijeras and then exit onto NM 14, the "Turquoise Trail," heading north. If travelling from Santa Fe or areas north, take Interstate 25 to NM 14, heading south. From NM 14, you’ll turn west onto La Madera Road just north of Sandia Park. After passing Vista Grande Community Center and East Mountain High School, La Madera quickly becomes narrow and winding, so take your time and watch out for wild turkeys and deer on the road as well as the occasional cyclist. Also be aware that La Madera takes an unexpected hard right turn at the only stop sign you'll encounter, where many people are tempted to continue straight ahead.

Approximately seven miles from NM14, La Madera transitions from pavement to gravel and you’ll see a sign indicating that Golden Open Space is ahead. You’ll continue on the gravel for a little over a mile and will then see the Open Space parking area on the right. The approximately nine miles on La Madera Road will take about 30 minutes to drive with a truck and horse trailer, so plan accordingly.

The parking area itself has been enlarged and improved over the past few years, with passenger vehicle parking on the south/right side and horse trailer parking to the north/left. There are two entrances/exits to the parking lot which conveniently allow for larger rigs to pull straight through. If the parking area is full, which is uncommon, there is room to park a horse trailer or two on the other side of the road, directly across from the formal parking area. The trailhead is well marked and has a step-over gate leading from the parking lot into the open space and trails and for what it’s worth, the railroad ties at the trail entrance make a great mounting block.

Parking for trucks with horse trailers is marked in the north half of the gravel parking area. Since there are two entrances/exits, it is fairly easy to pull in, park and unload/load, and then pull through the other gate to exit.

The trailhead and parking area do not provide any restrooms, water, picnic benches, or other facilities, and the only shade is that provided by the scrubby juniper trees. Be sure to take plenty of your own water, for yourself as well as your horses/dogs/kids/friends. Also be sure to take sunscreen, snacks, your sunglasses and hat, etc. as the nearest convenience store, coffee shop, and restaurant are back in Sandia Park.

Trail description:

From the trailhead, users follow the Mesa Trail/Los Duendes Loop which makes an approximately 2.5 mile loop back to the parking area and which provides access to all of the other area trails. The views from this trail are lovely, including sections overlooking Arroyo Seco, a large drainage full of interesting and colorful rock formations, as well as the ski runs at Ski Sandia, the Sandia Crest, and the San Pedro, Jemez, and Sangre de Cristo mountains. Sandia Park and Santa Fe can also be seen in the distance. Los Duendes trail has some rocky sections but is easily passable on foot, bike, or horseback.

A video taken along the Los Duendes trail can be viewed on the CABQ Parks and Recreation page here. Note that the page refers to Golden Open Space as "Sandoval County Open Space."

If you are looking to ride farther, the appropriately-named Arroyo Seco trail leads down into Arroyo Seco and then back up to the southern mesa after approximately 2.5 miles. This trail is beautiful and winding, leading through vivid layered and folded rock outcroppings, into and out of sandy washes flanked by multicolored canyon walls, and past several other adjacent drainages. The trail is well-maintained but does have some blind corners and a few areas with drop-offs along the trail side, so keep an eye and an ear out for other trail users while you're enjoying the scenery to help avoid any collisions.

Riding the Arroyo Seco trail toward North Mesa

Striking geologic features seem to be around every corner!

There are three formal trail loops on the southern mesa, the West Loop, Middle Loop, and longer East Loop, while the South Mesa Trail continues southeast and drops off of the mesa toward San Pedro Creek. Where the South Mesa trail enters private property at Turquoise Trail Estates (no public access), another currently unmarked but easily followed trail turns left/north and follows San Pedro Creek arroyo for about two miles, eventually rejoining trails in Arroyo Seco.

CABQ trail map of Golden Open Space. There are more well-used and maintained trails that are not shown on this map, including one that leads from the South Mesa trail terminus (shown at the bottom right of the map) around to San Pedro Creek through a patchwork of BLM, State, and Open Space land and back to the North Mesa, where one spur intersects with the Arroyo Secco trail and another ascends the SE edge of North Mesa and eventually ties into the Los Duendes trail.

Footing throughout the South Mesa and San Pedro Creek trails is generally hard-packed with little rock. The trails into and out of Arroyo Seco are more narrow and some sections may be challenging for those with vertigo or a fear of heights. If you are concerned about any of these sections, my advice is always to find a safe place to dismount and then lead your horse through. These trails are mostly, but not all, marked with directional trail signs and are easy to follow.

Arroyo Seco trail heading down from South Mesa

The City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation map of the area (above and available here) shows most, but not show all of, the current trails at Golden Open Space. At the time of this posting, the trail apps that show Golden Open Space (such as AllTrails and MTB Project) are showing between five and ten miles of total trails. Similarly to the CABQ map, these are incomplete and would benefit from updating to show the larger trail network.

Side note: As an avid outdoorsperson, equestrian, mapping aficionado, and open space trails user, I'd be happy to help you out with updating maps and any equestrian access work, CABQ!

What you’ll see there:

Depending on the time of year that you go, you’re likely to see a wide variety of wildflowers as well as local and migrating wildlife. Keep an eye out for prickly pears, cholla, rattlesnakes, wild horses and burros, all kinds of song birds and birds of prey, coyotes and foxes, lizards, rabbits, and more!

Wildflowers are often seen after the monsoon arrives.

San Pedro Creek flows for much of the year, although it is often just a trickle.

Other considerations:

If you are looking at maps of the area, you’ll notice that La Madera Road loops around past Golden Open Space and intersects with Puertecito Road, which leads back to NM 14. While you can drive the entire loop from La Madera to Puertecito and back out to NM14, the section between Golden Open Space and Puertecito is not regularly maintained and can occasionally be difficult with a horse trailer. My suggestion is to drive in and back out on La Madera, where is mostly paved, rather than trying to make a circuit on Puertecito, which is entirely gravel and is subject to occasional closures due to washouts.

Top TL;DR insights:

Golden Open Space is located on La Madera Road, off of NM 14 (the Turquoise Trail) between Sandia Park and Golden, NM, and is about an hour from the SW side of Santa Fe and SE Albuquerque.
Trails are mostly, but not all, signed at major intersections. Consider using a trail app or printed topo map if you don't know the area or don't have good dead reckoning skills.
The parking area and trailhead are moderately sized with horse trailer parking on the north side. There is room for several trucks and trailers in the parking lot and room to park a smaller rig or two on the side of La Madera, if necessary.

There are no toilets, water, picnic tables, or other facilities at the trailhead. Be sure to take plenty of water for yourself and your animals. There are no reliable water sources along the trails.
Trails are well-maintained with varied footing, including hard pack, rocky sections, and sandy washes. Hoof protection is highly recommended.
As this is a multi-use trail system, always be aware of your surroundings and both look and listen for other trail users, especially in areas with limited visibility due to trees, steep trails, and sharp corners. Never assume that you are the only one out on the trails, even if yours was the only vehicle in the parking area.
Golden Open Space is at about 7,000' elevation and all trails are subject to sun, wind, rain, snow, and lightning exposure. Be prepared for whatever Mother Nature might offer.

Keep an eye, and and ear, out for all kinds of wildlife, including wild horses and burros, rattlesnakes, coyotes, rabbits, deer, elk, vultures, hawks, lizards, and much more. If the wild horses are nearby, your horse will likely tell you long before you see or hear them yourself!
The last nine miles of driving will take the longest, as La Madera Road is narrow and winding, often with little to no shoulder. Take your time, watch out for wildlife, and share the road with cyclists and pedestrians.
If you need to stop for fuel, water, snacks, coffee, sunscreen, etc., Sandia Park is the closest option.

More photos:

View of a passing shower from the trailhead looking SW toward the Sandia Crest.

On only one occasion have I arrived at the parking lot and found it nearly full. On that day, the Backcountry Horsemen were having an organized group ride and there were a handful of rigs filling the parking area, so my friend and I parked our rigs on the other side of road, snuggled up to some junipers. This guy and his handy mule, whose names I have sadly forgotten, greeted us as we were unloading.

A few interpretive signs are posted along the Arroyo Seco trail as part of the Structures [Albuquerque] installation. More information about this project can be found here.

The trails are generally easy-moderate in difficulty and well maintained, although there are some technical sections and can be wash-outs, ice, etc. Always use your best judgement and, if you need to, get off and lead through sections that you aren’t sure about.