Sandia Mountain - Cienega Equestrian Trailhead As the summer begins to wind down, days are feeling just a bit shorter, and the oppressive heat we’ve experienced for the past couple of months is easing, I’m thinking of some my favorite local riding areas. From my location in the East Mountains, the closest place I go to with some regularity is the Cienega Equestrian Trailhead in the Cibola National Forest on east side of the Sandias. Commonly referred to as the “Cienega Horse Bypass,” this...

El Cerro de Los Lunas Preserve For those looking for a place to ride south of Albuquerque, El Cerro de Los Lunas Preserve just might be for you! If you’ve ever driven on I25 South past Los Lunas, you’ve actually seen this fairly large and easily-accessible preserve whether you realized it or not. Sitting just west of the interstate and accessed from NM State Road 6, El Cerro de Los Lunas Preserve provides access to miles of trails surrounding the volcanic butte (El Cerro, or "the hill")...

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...