Tree Spring Loop
A longer loop in the Sandia Mountains that takes you through several
vegetative zones. The variety of vegetation, including wildflowers in
the spring, makes this hike worthwhile. Add to it the views from the
Crest Trail, and the result is an excellent all-day hike.
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Hike data:
| Controlling agency: | Cibola National Forest; Sandia Ranger District | ||||||||
| Location in the state: | Central; Sandia Mountains | ||||||||
| Trailhead waypoint(s): | TSTTH | ||||||||
| Elevation: |
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| Elevation gain/loss: | 1837 ft; 560 m | ||||||||
| Length: | 10.25 mi; 16.50 km. GPS track distance. | ||||||||
| How long it took us (HH:MM): | 07:00. | ||||||||
| Cleanliness: | 9/10 | ||||||||
| Trail usage: | 0.00 people/hour. Parts of this loop receive heavy usage. | ||||||||
| Trail Condition: | In general, in good condition. Some areas have minor erosion problems. | ||||||||
| Fee: | $3.00. | ||||||||
| When we hiked it: | 2001-06-02. | ||||||||
| Trailhead facilities: | Toilets. Sometimes the trailhead parking is completely full, so arriving early might be a good idea. | ||||||||
| Special features of the hike: | Wildflowers, scenery, exercise. | ||||||||
| When to hike: | All year. Winter and early spring may have problems with snow and/or ice on the trail. | ||||||||
| General comments: | We had a couple of minor problems on this hike. As a result, the trail description is not as detailed as we would like. We will re-hike it at some point and update the page with additional information. |
Maps:
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Getting to the trailhead:
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Take I-40 to the North 14 exit (exit 175). Go north 5.75 miles from when you pass under I-40 until you get to a triangle of asphalt with a road heading west. There are signs on both sides of the road indicating that this is the road to the crest. Head up this road for XX miles. A sign indicates the trailhead parking on your left. |
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The hike:
 | At the trailhead, you are walking over arkose sandstone (such as what is in the picture) in a Fir forest. This sandstone is feldspar-rich, and cemented with calcite. After a short time, you reach a fork in the trail where the right branch is not heavily used (GPS TSTY1). |
The Sandias are a good place to hike if you like wildflowers. Besides the wild iris shown at the top of this page, we also saw lots of these Canadian violets. After another short distance, you reach the junction with the Oso Corridor trail (GPS OSOTST). Continue on the Tree Spring Trail; you will be returning on the Oso Corridor. |  |
 | The trail begins to climb more now. Another pretty flower you may find along the trail is the wallflower. |
The trail shifts to being on limestone. You may also see clematis along the trail. |  |
 | After more hiking, you begin to get nice views to the east. This is an
indication that you are reaching the Crest Trail and the wilderness
boundary. Upon reaching the Crest Trail, (GPS TSTWB), go left.
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Continue on the Crest Trail. You reach the Pino Trail (GPS: 130140), followed shortly by the Cienega Trail
148 (GPS: 130148). The photo shows Kenneth
at the junction of the Crest and Cienega trails.
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 | Now, you head down Cienega Canyon. One of the things you may see is the field of Star Solomon Seal. After about an hour of hiking, you reach the junction with trail 195 (GPS: 148195). Go left. |
Keep your eye open as you hike. Interesting critters like this one can be found waiting for a meal to come by. The trail climbs a bit. In about 20 minutes, you will reach The junction with the Faulty Horse Bypass (GPS: CHBFT). Go left, which begins to descend. The next junction is the Sulphur Canyon trail (GPS: SCTFT). Go straight, which takes you up and out of the canyon. About half an hour more hiking, and you come to the junction with the Oso Corridor (GPS: FTOC). Take the Oso corridor, which begins to climb. A little over an hour later, you reach the junction with the Tree Springs Trail. This should look familiar to you. Go right, which will return you to the trailhead. |  |
Plants we saw along the trail:
Animals we saw along the trail:
Reader comments about this hike:
On Sat Jun 25 19:47:47 2005 J from Albuquerque NM said:Add your comments about the Tree Spring Loop hike.
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