more stats
2.9 miles
Distance
58 ft
Climb
-1,195 ft
Descent
00:19:59
Avg time
-1,137 ft
Altitude change
9,150 ft
Altitude min
10,286 ft
Altitude max
10,286 ft
Altitude start
9,150 ft
Altitude end
-7.3%
Grade
-40.1%
Grade max
14.1%
Grade min
1,280 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
1,690 ft
Distance flat
00:19:59
Avg time

Challenge Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Sandia Mountain East Side Trails
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Ref Number
    #233
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #49509 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #71974 in Trail Running
    • #89305 in Hiking
    • #1275 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    USFS - Sandia Ranger District

The top section of Challenge begins at Ellis TH. Many upgrades and reroutes have made this one of the best and most popular trails in the Sandias. It can be ridden in both directions, but downhill is the best. It pass through dense forest.

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 10 rides
  • 20 miles avg distance
All
  • 339 rides
  • Last: Aug 2, 2026
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update trails status or condition

Challenge Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 16, 2026 @ 9:53am (America/Denver)
Aug 16, 2026
 No significant issues, the first half is a bit beaten up and rutted.
May 6, 2026 @ 8:46am (America/Denver)
May 6, 2026
 reporter Challenge Trail is closed between Ellis parking lot and 10K parking lot for fuel reduction project. See...
May 4, 2026 @ 3:16am (America/Denver)
May 4, 2026
 Alot of very thin snow patches and a few trees down, but still completely doable if you're determined. Great trail.
Oct 17, 2025 @ 1:20pm (Pacific/Midway)
Oct 17, 2025
 reporter
Aug 2, 2025 @ 7:02am
Aug 2, 2025
 A few mud spots but otherwise ideal!
more »
Status:
on Aug 16, 2026
Variable
Avg: 4.14 (8 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to challenge trailhead (35.208190, -106.440930)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      12 more »
      mtb
      92 |
      Oct 18, 2025 @ 8:04am
      Oct 18, 2025
      mtb
      106 |
      Oct 18, 2025 @ 8:04am
      Oct 18, 2025
      mtb
      112 |
      Jul 22, 2022 @ 4:36pm
      Jul 22, 2022
      mtb
      127 |
      Jul 21, 2022 @ 6:46pm
      Jul 21, 2022

      Videos

      9 more »
      RAW TRAIL WEDNESDAY: Challenge
      mtb
      16:02 | 102 | Feb 2, 2025 , Albuquerque
      Challenge Trail - Sandia Crest Downhill
      mtb
      10:31 | 376 | May 6, 2024 , Albuquerque
      Ginger Vision Episode #3- MSC/ Pro GRT Chile...
      mtb
      4:47 | 12673 | Jun 18, 2012 , Albuquerque
      redbull challenge chillin' to worldcup
      mtb
      11:28 | 236 | Oct 17, 2011 , Albuquerque

      Routes with this trail

      25
      The whole Challenge top to bottom
      9 miles • 509 ft • 5 • Shuttled •
      The whole starts at Ellis Trailhead on the Crest Rd and ends at the top of . It is usually ridden as a...
      96
      Full Faulty 30
      ★ 4.0 • 30 miles • 5,614 ft • 33 • Loop •
      Very difficult route that gets the entirety of the Faulty trail (minus to at the very beginning.) You need...
      93
      Ski Area Bonanza
      ★ 5.0 • 22 miles • 3,710 ft • 33 • Loop •
      This is a real fun route that gets all of the best stuff in the Sandia Ski Area system. This route...
      4.3 ★★★★★
      8 Ratings
      5 ★ 38%
      4 ★ 50%
      3 ★ 13%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      philliport philliport
      One of my favorite trails in NM and especially the Albuquerque area. I've shuttled this once but we usually climb up Golden Eagle, enjoy the view at the peak and ride North down the forest road to beginning of Challenge Trail at Ellis trailhead and parking lot back down to bottom or Ski area where we park. So much fun! Mixure of flow, tree roots, chunk and the middle lower section after you ride through thr abandoned parking lot has 4 nice jumps that aren't too big. You can also climb king of the hill, but it's twice as long as Golden Eagle which is a 4.5 mile climb. Either way tons of fun and amazing scenery.
      aldousfilcher aldousfilcher
      The upper reroute is hot turd, but the rest of the trail gets a full five stars.
      brahhh brahhh
      What a trail! Descending this in the fall is similar to upper South Boundary, in Taos. Climbing is very strenuous, and be careful for people coming down. If you aren't used to the elevation, the steep climbs along with the 10,000 ft. mark will be brutal. I would recommend descending, but super fun either way!

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      Nearby Trails

      Sandia Mountain East Side Trails

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Challenge located?
      Challenge is located in Sandia Mountain East Side Trails, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Sandia Mountain East Side Trails trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.20819, -106.44093.
      ▼ How hard is Challenge?
      Challenge is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 7.3%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Challenge?
      Challenge has 58 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,195 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 9,150 ft to 10,286 ft.
      ▼ Is Challenge a point to point trail?
      Challenge is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Challenge?
      Challenge is 2.9 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Challenge?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Challenge. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Challenge? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Challenge are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Challenge?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 17 minutes to ride Challenge. The trail is 2.9 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Challenge?
      Challenge is a very popular trail. There have been 1,743 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,835 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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