Sandia Foothills Open Space
Managed by Albuquerque Parks and Recreation, Open Space Division
356 acres1.3 mi of trail
Yucca LoopEye of the Sandias RouteTrail 66
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Carnuel
Few parks or trails are on the map in Carnuel
The biggest trail networks: Sandia Foothills Open Space (1.3 mi), Cibola National Forest (0.8 mi). 25% of Carnuel’s land is conserved, about 843 acres. 937 acres are parks and preserves, 1,068 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
25%
843 acres · of 5.3 sq mi of land
Trails
10 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
937 ac
1,068 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
90%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sandia Foothills Open Space, with 1.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Cibola National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
425 acres0.8 mi of trail
Three Gun Spring Arroyo TrailThree Gun Spring TrailEast Hawk Watch ConnectorWest Hawk Watch Connector
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Hawk Watch Open Space
Park
20 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Sandia Foothills Open Space356 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Albuquerque Parks and Recreation, Open Space Division
DirectionsCibola National Forest425 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
DirectionsTres Pistolas Open Space65 acres
DirectionsHawk Watch Open Space20 acres
Sandia Mountain Wilderness12 acres · United States Forest Service
Who protects it
843 conserved acres
25% of Carnuel’s land. Who manages Carnuel’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city520 ac
U.S. Forest Service419 ac
County21 ac
State land board4 ac
National Forest · 419 acLocal Conservation Area · 399 acLocal Recreation Area · 141 acState Resource Management Area · 4 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cibola National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 419 | Open |
| Sandia Foothills Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 138 | Open |
| Manzano Four Hills Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 120 | Open |
| Route 66/Tijeras Arroyo Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 109 | Open |
| Manazano Foot Hills Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 84 | Open |
| Route 66/Little Beavertown Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Hawkwatch Local Recreation Area | County | 21 | Open |
| State Trust Land State Resource Management Area | State land board | 4 | Open |
| Route 66 Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 3 | Open |
Things to do
4 places to go in Carnuel
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Carnuel
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Carnuel
Twin Peaks North
DirectionsTwin Peaks South
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Trails & water
8 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.4 miHorses · 4.9 miUnpaved · 5.3 mi
Eye of the Sandias Route0.4 mi
Yucca Loop0.4 mi
Trail 660.4 mi
Three Gun Spring Arroyo Trail0.3 mi
Three Gun Spring Trail0.1 mi
East Hawk Watch Connector0.1 mi
Coyote Springs Road Southeast0.1 mi
West Hawk Watch Connector0.1 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Trail #66Bike route
0.4 miYucca LoopBike route
0.4 miCourts & fields
1Equestrian
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Carnuel: April, May and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 45 | 50 | 59 | 66 | 76 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 68 | 54 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
May is the driest month (0.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 2.7 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Carnuel →
Next door
Carnuel and its neighbors
Carnuel has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnuel | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Albuquerque | 16% | 1.7 | 19 | 99% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Carnuel
Where can I hike in Carnuel?
The longest trail networks: Sandia Foothills Open Space, 1.3 miles; Cibola National Forest, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Carnuel’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Sandia Foothills Open Space and Cibola National Forest (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Carnuel?
70,229 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Carnuel or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,258 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Carnuel neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →