more stats
1,795 ft
Distance
187 ft
Climb
00:06:35
Avg time
189 ft
Altitude change
7,514 ft
Altitude min
7,703 ft
Altitude max
7,514 ft
Altitude start
7,703 ft
Altitude end
10.5%
Grade
1.6%
Grade max
42.8%
Grade min
1,795 ft
Distance climb
00:06:35
Avg time

Cienega Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Sandia Mountains - Upper East Side
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Ref Number
    #148
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Local Popularity
    65 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in Trail Running
    • 100 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #89614 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #72236 in Trail Running
    • #58962 in Hiking
    • #23916 in Horseback
  • State Ranking
    #737 in Mountain Biking · New Mexico [+]
    • #427 in Trail Running
    • #599 in Hiking
    • #591 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    April-October
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
  • Land Owner

Cienega trail is a significant trail that climbs all the way to the intersection with the South Crest trail. However, only a short portion of it lies outside of the Wilderness area. This rideable section is good mostly as a connector from the Cienega Picnic Area to the Faulty Trail. It is a short steep climb alongside a small seasonal creek, but it is somewhat difficult to find the entry to the trail from the paved access road, as the trailhead is primarily a maze of paved paths leading to various picnic grounds. In general, follow the large white arrows posted at the trailhead.

Access Info

Multiple Trailheads, all official parking areas are paid ($3) but there are several pullouts along the road where one can avoid paying.

Tags
Picnic spot

Trail Supporters

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 16 rides
  • 8 miles avg distance
All
  • 83 rides
  • Last: Nov 5, 2026
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Cienega Trail Reports

Status:
on Jun 26, 2022
Very Dry
Avg: 3.99 (2 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (730)
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      Directions to cienega trailhead (35.169770, -106.384870)

      Photos

      5 more »
      mtb
      101 |
      Dec 29, 2018 @ 1:55pm
      Dec 29, 2018
      mtb
      98 |
      Dec 29, 2018 @ 1:55pm
      Dec 29, 2018
      mtb
      79 |
      Dec 29, 2018 @ 1:55pm
      Dec 29, 2018
      hike
      63 |
      May 17, 2022 @ 1:07pm
      May 17, 2022

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Cienega yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      6 miles • 1,102 ft • 5 •
      Loop from sign parking up to faulty, down armijo and extra credit
      11 miles • 1,862 ft • 7 •
      ABQ Enduro Lower Sandia's - 3 stage race, please follow the route exactly as it is laid out.
      6 miles • 1,067 ft • 4 •
      HDB group ride! (Lower Sandias edition)
      4.0 ★★★★★
      2 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★ 100%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      Reviews / Comments

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      • By aldousfilcherTF Pro & contributors
      • #75283 - 1,808 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Cienega located?
      Cienega is located in Sandia Mountains - Upper East Side, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Sandia Mountains - Upper East Side trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.16977, -106.38487.
      ▼ How hard is Cienega?
      Cienega is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 10.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Cienega?
      Cienega has 187 ft of elevation gain. The elevation ranges from 7,514 ft to 7,703 ft.
      ▼ Is Cienega a point to point trail?
      Cienega is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Cienega?
      Cienega is 1,795 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Cienega?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Cienega. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Cienega?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Cienega are:
      • August (11 activities)
      • September (10 activities)
      • July (9 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Cienega? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Cienega are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Cienega?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 7 minutes to ride Cienega. The trail is 1,795 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Cienega?
      Cienega is a moderately popular trail. There have been 659 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 730 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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