Tunnel Spring Loop

Hike this hike for the views of Cabezon and the Jemez and San Pedro mountains. If you hike in the summer, you will also be rewarded with many varied cactus blooms.

Hike data:

Controlling agency:

Cibola National Forest; Sandia Ranger District

Location in the state:

Central; Sandia Mountains

Trailhead waypoint(s):

TUNL

Elevation:

start:	6379ft; 1944m	end:	6379ft; 1944m
min:	6299ft; 1920m	max:	7378ft; 2249m

Elevation gain/loss:

1102 ft; 336 m. Elevation change from GPS altitude track.

Length:

5.24 mi; 8.43 km. Length from GPS track.

How long it took us (HH:MM):

05:00.

Cleanliness:

9/10

Trail usage:

2.20 people/hour. All of the people (9) were in the first half mile or so.

Trail Condition:

Gravel.

Fee:

$3.00.

When we hiked it:

2003-06-01.

Trailhead facilities:

Trash cans, toilets. Acording to a sign, the spring water is not potable.

Special features of the hike:

Wildflowers, scenery, exercise.

When to hike:

All year. Summer will be hot. Due to the openness of part of the trial, a hat and sunscreen are good to have in summer.

Maps:

Online from topozone.com
Satellite map from Google.com
USGS Placitas 1:24000
USGS Albuquerque 1:100000
USGS Albuquerque 1:250000

Getting to the trailhead:

Exit 242 (Placitas) from I-25 and head east. After about 4.9 miles, turn right on Tunnel Spring Rd, which is also Forest Road 231. Continue following the Forest Road signs, as you wind your way amongst the houses. After about 1.3 miles, you cross a cattle guard and are at the first parking area (this is where the fee payment stuff is). A second parking area is just up the hill, and it has the toilet and trash cans.

The hike:

	As you start this trail, you immediately get views of the Jemez.
Several of these cicadas were singing as we hiked. At the wilderness boundary sign (GPS: 130X130B), go right. The trail is less distinct than the other choice (or, it was when we hiked this trail).
	These horsetails grow near streams. Their high silica content made them good for scouring pans, hence their common name Scouringrush horsetail.
The trail heads up, and it is rocky. This part of the trail might be hazardous going down; the small rocks are like little ball bearings. Luckily, this is a loop trail, so you will not need to come back down.
	The views of the Jemez remain excellent.
The trail joins 130; take the left branch at this junction. The trail now starts gently descending.
	You are above one cliff, and below another. You probably do not want to trip and fall up here. On the other hand, the views are great to the west through north.
You can see down to the trailhead from up here. This photo shows the two parking areas.
	As the trail descends, it also turns to the east. You can see the San Pedro mountains. It also opens up and dries out. You really need a hat here in the summer.
It is in this area where you start to really see the cactus, such as this claret cup that was blooming...
	...or this opuntia flower.
If you have sharp eyes, you may see animals such as this lizard. After you start getting views down into Placitas, you will return to the junction where you turned and went uphill.