We step into gale force wind.
The first time I stood on this spot, I understood every bumpy plane ride I’d had over the Sandias on a clear day.
The overlook at the top of Tree Springs Trail provides one of the best panoramas you’ll find of Albuquerque. And, like many a bare rock ledge at 9,500 feet elevation, it gets a daily whipping from the wind.
Tucked under a tree, we found enough stillness to eat a snack and soak up the sun. My husband explored a rocky promontory we often check out, but the footing’s a little precarious, so I didn’t chance it. Gusts had me listing even when taking a photo well back from the ledge.
Tree Springs Trail traverses high-elevation meadows and ridges, mostly in the shade of fir and spruce, with an occasional sunny climb. It’s a haven for wildflowers, hikers and dogs. Today we witnessed a first: four guys on fat-tire unicycles.
We usually flee to Tree Springs when the mercury nears 100 in the valley. Today, unseasonably cool in Albuquerque, felt even more spectacular up here: the temperature on the trail never climbed above 70, and a cool breeze bathed the trail. A brief windstorm had blown away two nights of heavy smoke from Arizona’s Woodbury Fire, leaving fierce blue skies behind.
We capped off our hike with a detour on a side path of Oso Corredor Trail to check out more wildflowers.
I don’t know how the Duke City managed to steal this day from early May, but I sure am glad it did.
And, as always, grateful that we didn’t blow away up there.
Hike length: 4 miles, plus side trip
Difficulty: moderate
Trail traffic: popular
Wildlife spotted/heard: vulture, flicker, butterflies, caterpillar, cicadas
Woman Seeks Elevation 