Sandia Mountains / Cibola NF

5,000–10,678 ft · NM🚗 Directions

Sandia Mountains rising 10,000 ft directly east of Albuquerque — Cibola National Forest\u2019s most-visited ranger district. Piñon-juniper woodland at the base, ponderosa pine mid-slope, mixed conifer and aspen at the crest. Sandia Peak tram, La Luz Trail, and Cedro Peak. Monsoon fungi (Boletus barrowsii, lobster, Suillus, chanterelle) after August rains; Mt Taylor and Manzano districts produce similarly.

Trees:Ponderosa Pine Douglas Fir Aspen

Permit Info →

Updated Jul 13, 4:20 AM MT

Foraging Potential55/100

❌Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

Observed precipitation from PRISM 4km gridded analysis, sampled at the region centroid through 2026-07-11. Used when no SNOTEL/SCAN station is mapped to this region.

0.10"

PRISM 4km · thru 07-11

Precip 14d

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Nearby Camping

Within(4)

NINE MILE PICNIC SITE

developed

USFS~1.8 mi from centerContact recreation.gov or 877-444-6777/night

Reserve →

LAS HUERTAS PICNIC SITE

developed

USFS~3.3 mi from centerContact recreation.gov or 877-444-6777/night

Reserve →

Campbell Scout Ranch

developed

Boy Scouts of America~5.1 mi from centerFee required/night

Albuquerque KOA Journey

developed

~9.4 mi from center

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.

Observed precipitation from PRISM 4km gridded analysis, sampled at the region centroid through 2026-07-11. Used when no SNOTEL/SCAN station is mapped to this region.

0.10"

PRISM 4km · thru 07-11

Soil Temp

66°F

SWE

Snow Water Equivalent — how much water is in the snowpack vs. normal. Declining SWE means snowmelt is adding moisture to the soil.

Drought

None

Snowmelt

complete