paseo de las montañas · paseo de las montañas paseo de las montañas trail follows the...

PaseodelasMontañas

PaseodelasMontañasTrailfollowstheconcrete-linedPiedraLisaandEmbudoarroyosthroughNortheastHeightssuburbsandtheirspaciouspublicparks.We’llexploreaspectsofthearea’sneighborhoods,architecture,geology,hydrology,andnaturalhistory,aswellasthehistoryofitsdevelopment.Thosewillingtoslowdown,lookintoyards,andbrieflyleavethepathwillbetreatedtolocalart,bothpublicandhomegrown.

TheeastendofthetourliesneartheintersectionofMenaulandTramwayboulevardswhilethewesternterminusisextendedbeyondthechanneltoincludeJerryClineandTomBollackparks,aswellasashortstretchofstreet-sidebikerouterunningtoSanPedroDrive.

Asanoptionalsidetour,we’llridethetrailalongEmbudoArroyofromTramwaytoitsjunctionwithPaseodelasMontañas.

Note:ACitybikemapishandyifyouplantoleavethetourandfollowoneofthemanyconnectingroutes.Youcanpickupamapfrommostbikestores,fromthecity,oryoucanfindaninteractivemaphere:http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/recreation/bike/bike-map.Someofthebikeroutesshownonthemapanddiscussedherearenotsignedonstreet.

Parking

EmbudoCanyon,OpenSpaceTrailhead.OnMenaul0.6mileseastofTramway.

0.3Miles/5.3Miles.LynnewoodPark.Curbsideparkingalongtheparkperimeter.

1.1Miles/4.5Miles.RossEnchantedPark.Curbsideparkingalongtheparkperimeter.

2.8Miles/2.8Miles.SnowPark.Curbsideparkingalongtheparkperimeter.

4.7Miles/0.9Miles.JerryClinePark.

5.3Miles/0.3Miles.TomBolackUrbanForest.Streetparkingavailable.

FortheEmbudoArroyosidetrip,parkingisavailablecurbsideonthenorthendofCrestviewHeightsPark,0.1milesfromthestart.Also,thestartingpointis0.7milesnorthofIndianSchoolRoadand0.5milessouthofMenaul;bothstreetsendatparkinglotslessthanamileeastofTramway.

EastsideofthewoodenoverpassonTramwayBoulevard.Theoverpassis0.3milesnorthofMenaulBoulevard.YoucanreachthispointbyridingtheTramwayTrail(seeTramwaytour),comingfromthenorthorsouth.ParkingisavailableattheEmbudotrailheadattheendofMenaul

Boulevard,0.6mileseastofTramway.

Gowestacrosstheoverpassandatthebottomoftherampmakea180degreeturn,goseveralhundredfeetandturnleftdownPiedraLisaArroyo.LetteringonthepavementindicatesyouareenteringthePaseodelasMontañastrail.Ifyougostraightinsteadofturningsharplyatthebottomoftheramp,youwillquicklyreachLexingtonAvenue,agoodeast-westbikeroute,which

includesseveralothershortstretchesofroadaswellasClaremontAvenue.TherouterunstoapointafewblockswestofCarlisleBoulevard.

LynnewoodParkstraddlesthetrail,offeringlargeshadytrees,picnictables,aplayground,andtenniscourts,withparkingavailablecurbsidealongtheparkperimeter.AtthewestendoftheparkcrossNakomisDriveandcontinuedownalongsidethearroyo.

Lynnewoodisthefirstofseveralparkswewillvisithavinganarroyorunningthroughit.ThepresenceofdrainagesinmanyHeightspublicfacilitiesisnotacoincidence,andanexplanationofitsoriginleadstoalargerexplorationofparkdevelopmentintheHeights.ThebriefsummarythatfollowsisbasedoninterviewswithandwritingsofJanetSaiers,retiredParksandRecreationstaffpersonandcityparkshistorian.

Bythemid1950’s,Albuquerque’spost-warhousingboomhadstarted.WhatwasthentheAlbuquerquecitycommission,seeingtheneedtoincludeparksinthesuburbsspreadingtothe

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5.6 MilesFromSanPedroDrive

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LaminatedWoodOverpass

northeast,createdtheParksandRecreationBoardalongwiththepositionofdirectortoplanforandadministerparkdevelopment.In1955thecitycommissionpassedtheCityParkDedicationOrdinance,requiringdeveloperstogiveasmallpercentageoftheirlandtothecityforparks.Withnoexplicitcriteriaregardingthelocationofdonatedland,andwithoutenoughparkstafftoevaluatepossiblesites,thecityreliedonthebuilders,whochosetoallocatearroyosandadjacentland—sitesthatwerenotsuitableforhomes.Whiletherewassomelogictothisarrangement,itdidnotguaranteethatparkswouldbecentrallylocatedandconvenient.Furthermore,thecityhadtopaytostabilizethechannel.Thecitywasalsoresponsibleforparkimprovement,andwithoutfundingtodomore,theparks’amenitiesconsistedprimarilyofafewswingsandsteel“monkeybars.”

Themidtolate70’ssawseveralimportantchanges.First,developerswererequiredtodedicateparklandbasedonthenumberofdwellingsbuilt(includingapartments)andtopayafeetohelpdefraythecostofparkdevelopment.Second,withmoreparkstaffavailable,thecitywasabletobeselectiveindeterminingtheparklocation.Finally,thecitybeganemployinglandscapearchitectstocreatemorecomplex,comfortableandattractivefacilities.

In1993,thestatelegislaturepassedtheDevelopmentFeeAct,allowinglocalgovernmentstochargeimpactfeesfornewdevelopments.Amongotherkindsofinfrastructure,thesefeescouldbeusedforavarietyofrecreationfacilities,includingtrails,pools,andtenniscourts.

Albuquerquecitizensvaluetheiropenspacesandovertheyearshaveshownsupportbypassingbondissuesformanyimprovements.

ChelwoodParkBoulevard.AbikelaneformuchofChelwoodalongwithconnectingbikeroutes(seemap),providesaccesstoTramwayandMontgomeryBoulevardstothenorthandTramway,CloudviewAvenue,andEncantadoRoadtothesouth.

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LynnewoodParkAndPiedraLisaArroyo

Onewilloccasionallyseeasquirrelsunningitselfontheslopingwallsofthearroyoaswellasbirdsforaginginthebottom,areminderthatwildlifecanutilizeeventhissterileconcreteenvironment.BrandonGriffithoftheStateDepartmentofGameandFishnotesthatmuchlargeranimals,includingbear,deer,mountainlions,coyotes,andbobcatsalsousethechannelsastravelcorridors,primarilyeastofTramwaybutsometimesmovingfartherwest,wheretheyencounterneighborhoodresidents,traffic,andinevitably,statewildlifeofficials.

RossEnchantedPark.Withitsgrassyexpanses,shade,apicnictable,playgroundandbenches,theparkisaninvitingpublicspaceforresidentsaswellascyclistspassing

through.RobertTrudo,presidentoftheEnchantedParkNeighborhoodAssociationnotesthatthewellusedparkisespeciallylivelyatEasterwhentheneighborhoodchildrenunearthsome2,000Eastereggshiddeninthepark,needingonlyabout10minutestolocatethemall.Robertsaysthepublicisinvitedto

participateinthehunt.Hedescribeshisneighborhoodasacohesiveone,inwhichneighborscommunicatewitheachotherandwiththecity.Earlyinthe2000’s,theparkwasjustgrassandtrees,buttheassociation,workingthroughitscitycouncilor,obtainedfundingfortheotheramenities,includinglightingforthetrailalongthearroyo.

Parkingisavailablecurbsidealongtheparkperimeter.

Thesetourscelebratethebicycleanditsusefulnessforrecreationandtransportation.

Buttheguidesalsoexaminelargeraspectsofourcultureandhistoryandanundeniableaspectofourculture—asevidencedbythehouseswepasshereandelsewhereintheHeights—isthesignificanceof

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WildlifeInTheArroyos

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RossEnchantedParkAndPiedraLisaArroyo

theautomobile.Architecturally,theprominenceofcarsintheHeightscontrastsstarklywiththeearly-developedneighborhoodsjusteastofdowntown—housingwhichwasservedbyelectrictrolleyspriortothecomingofcars.AsweseethroughoutmuchoftheHeights,laterdevelopmentistypifiedbythegarageasanarchitecturalelementintegraltothehouseandonethat“balances”therestofthestructure.Garagesinolderneighborhoodsareoftenmuchsmaller,separate,andlocatedtowardtherear.

JuanTaboBoulevard.Aprotectedmedianallowsyoutosafelycrossonesideatatime.

DonaldA.Gil’sbook,StoriesBehindTheStreetNamesOfAlbuquerque,SantaFe,&Taos,isthisguide’ssourceofinformationaboutAlbuquerquestreetnames.HenotesthattheidentityofJuanTabohasnotbeensatisfactorilydetermined.

MenaulBoulevard.Aprotectedmedianallowsyoutosafelycrossonesideatatime.

ThestreetwasnamedfortheMenaulSchool,locatedatBroadwayandMenualBoulevard.TheschoolwasnamedforReverendJamesMenaul,synodexecutiveofthe

PresbyterianChurchofNewMexico;hewasactiveinschoolaffairsduringthe1890’s.Formoreinformationabouttheschool,seetheNorthDiversionChannelTour.

Trailtemporarilyends.TurnleftonMarthaStreet,andthenquicklyturnrightonGrettaStreet,whichtakesyoupastColletParkandColletParkElementarySchool.TurnrightonSnowheightsBoulevardandinafewhundredfeetturnlefttoreturntothetrail.

SnowHeightsneighborhoodwasnamedafterEdwardH.Snow,ownerofSnowConstruction,Inc..Snow,DaleBellamahandSamHoffmanwereamongthefirstofthepostwarbuilderstoimplementlarge-scaledevelopment,utilizingrelativelycheapandextensivetractsoflandalongwithmassproductiontechniques.Bythemid1950’s,Hoffman’sandBellamah’scorporationswererespectively,thefourthandsixthlargesthomeconstructioncompaniesintheworld.Developmentwasfurther

stimulatedbythecity’sprogramofaggressivelyannexingperipherallandandthenextendingcityservices.Also,FHAloans,aprogramcreatedduringtheGreatDepression,hadmadehomepurchasefarmoreaccessibletothegrowingmiddleclass.

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JustOffTheTrail.NWCornerofMorrisAndMenaul

EmbudoArroyo,MorrisStreet.Thetrailcrossesabicycle/pedestrianbridgeoverEmbudoArroyo,meetingtheEmbudoTrail(seesidetrip),andimmediatelyintersectsMorrisStreet.TheMorrisStreetbikelanerunsasfarnorthasSpainRoad,andasfarsouthasConstitutionAvenue.FromConstitution,youcancontinuesouthonbike

routesandanI-40bicycle/pedestrianoverpasstoManzanoMesaParksouthofCentral.

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JustOffTheTrail.NWCornerOfMorrisAndMenaul

EubankBoulevard.EmbuditoArroyo(nobikepath)joinsourroutehere.AprotectedmedianallowsyoutosafelycrossonesideofEubankatatime.

Lt.ColonelEugeneL.Eubankwasthecommanderofarmy’s19thBombardmentGroup.In1941,heandhiscrewsweresenttotrainattheAlbuquerqueArmyAirBase,(laterrenamedKirtlandAirForceBase),beforebeingsenttothePhilippines.

ParsifalStreetTurnrightontoParsifalandjustoverthebridgeturnlefttorejointhetrailontheothersideofthearroyo.

ThetrailrunsthroughSnowParkwithitsgrassyfieldsandplayground.Curbsideparkingisavailablealongtheparkperimeter.

IndianSchoolRoad.Aprotectedmedianagainallowsyoutocrossonesideatatime.UsingtheIndianSchoolRoad

bikelaneplusconnectingroutes,youcantraveleasttoTramwayBoulevardandwesttoBroadway.

TheroadisnamedaftertheAlbuquerqueIndianSchool,(officiallyknownastheUnitedStatesIndianTrainingSchool),foundedin1881,firstlocatedintheLosDuranesdistrict,andinitiallyoperatedbythePresbyterianChurch.A“permanent”locationwassecuredbytheDepartmentofInteriorwhenlocalbusinessmendonatedaformerfarmsiteat12thStreetandIndianSchoolRoad.In1982,theboarding

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EastofEubank

SnowParkAndEmbudoArroyo

schoolclosedanditsoperationsweretransferredtotheSantaFeIndianSchool.Theoldschoolbuildingshavesincebeendemolishedandthecurrentlyvacantlandisundergoingre-development.

MoonStreet.Moon’sbikelanerunsnorthtoComanche,whereyoucancontinueonbikeroutesasfarnorthasNorthPinoArroyo(seemap).Tothesouth,Moon’sbikelaneendsatConstitution,andconnectingbikeroutestakeyouoverI-40viaabicycleand

pedestrianoverpassintoLosAltosPark.Fromthepark,bikeroutescontinuetoapointseveralblockssouthofCentral.

Gill’sbooknotesthatmembersoftheMoonfamilyarelongtimeresidentsofthecity.Z.B.Moonwasastatesenatorinthe1930’s.

WyomingBoulevard.Aprotectedmedianallowsyoutocrossonesideatatime.Ifyouareheadingwest,beforeyoucrossthesouthboundsideverifythereisnotrafficinthefrontageroadwhichisadjacenttoandwestofthesouthboundlanes.

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BackYardBetweenMoonAndWyoming

WyomingBoulevardispartofthenetworkofNortheastHeightsarterials,agridwhosestreetsrunnorth-southandeast-westandarespacedonemileapart.Onemightaskhowthispatterncametobeplacedinitspresentlocationandwhyitdoesnotextendtodowntownandthevalley.ToanswerthesequestionsonemustreturntotheearlydaysofAmericanindependenceandtothesomewhatlaterperiodofwestwardexpansion.

Seeingtheneedtoaccuratelyidentifylandthatwouldsomedaybesoldorotherwiseusedbythegovernmentanditscitizens,thefledglingCongressin1785passedtheLandOrdinance,whichestablishedthebasisforthePublicLandSurveySystem.Thefederalgovernmentthenhiredsurveyorstodotherequiredfieldworkofcreatingagridofsurveylines,andplacingsurveymarkersontheground.

In1855,USDeputySurveyorJohnW.Garretson,workingunderthesupervisionofWilliamPelham,surveyorgeneralfortheNewMexicoterritory,begantheNewMexicosurvey,usingastartingpointonBlackButte,asmallhillnearthevillageofSanAcacia,65milessouthofAlbuquerque.ExactlywhyPelhamchosethisstartingpointisnotclear.FredRoeder,retiredNMsurveyorandauthor,reviewedGarretson’sfieldnotes,andpointsoutthatWashingtonofficials—whoknewlittleoftheterritory’sgeography—designatedseveralpossiblestartingpointsnorthofthebutte,butalsoallowedPelhamconsiderableleewayinchoosingthelocation.Forwhateverreasons,PelhamchoseBlackButte,and

JustoffthetrailonHainesAve.,twodoorswestofWyoming.Hainesisjustnorthofthetrail.

Garretsonstartedhissurveythere.AsrequiredbythePublicLandSurveySystem,parcelsenclosedbythesesurveylineswerelaidoutinsections,(squaresmeasuringamileoneachside),andtownships,(squaresmeasuringsixsectionsonaside);sectionswerefurthersubdividedasneeded.ThissystemofsectionsandtownshipswaseventuallyextendedtotheareanowoccupiedbyAlbuquerque,andwhenNortheastHeightsdevelopmentwasplanned,thesurveygridwasusedtodeterminethelocationofthemajorroads.ForamoredetailedexplanationofthePublicLandSurveySystem,seehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System.

Asfordowntown,itsroadswerelaidoutparalleltotherailroadtracks,(atanangleof9degreeseastofnorth),longbeforethenortheastpartofthecitywasdeveloped.

PennsylvaniaStreet.Pennsylvania’sbikelanerunsasfarsouthasLomasBoulevard;usingconnectingroutes,youcanreachSouthernAvenue,southofCentral.Tothenorth,Pennsylvania’sbikelaneextendstoOsunaRoadanditsextensivenetworkofconnectinglanesandtrails.

TurnrightonPennsylvania,gooverthebridgeoverthearroyo,andimmediatelyturnleft,continuingalongthenorthwestsideofthearroyo.

I-40Bicycle/PedestrianOverpass.Bearleftandcontinueoverthebike/pedestrianoverpass.EmbudoArroyorunsunderwestboundI-40andthenbetweentheeastandwestboundlanes.Thecement-walledarroyothencontinueswestbetweenlanesofthe

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Louisiana/I-40Bicycle-PedestrianOverpass

ThesmallshadedareabetweentheeastandwestboundlanesisEmbudoArroyo,emergingtorunwestward.

freewaytoapointbetweenCarlisleandWashington,whereitisdivertedawayfromI-40andeventuallyintotheNorthDiversionChannel.

JerryClinePark.Thetrailfollowsthenorthandwestsidesofthislargeandpopularpark.Amenitiesincludeaplayground,shade,picnictables,playingfields,tenniscourts,andparking.AlthoughthetourcontinuestoSanPedro,thismightbeagoodspottoparkacarifyouarestartingatthewestend.Alittlebeforethepathtakesasharpleft,

lookuptheembankmenttothenorthwestandyou’llseethepublicartpiece,PositiveEnergyofNewMexico,locatedatthejunctionofLouisianaandtheeastboundI-40onramp.Foradescriptionofthecity’sOnePerCentForTheArtsprogram,seetheTramwayTour.

LouisianaBicyclePedestrianUnderpass.TakeasharprightandgothroughtheunderpassbeneathLouisianaBoulevard.Beyondtheunderpass,thepathfollowstheTomBolackUrbanForestCityPark.SeetheI-40Trailforadescriptionofthispark.Thepathtakesasharpleftbeforearrivingatthefenceforthedogpark.

Leavetheparkandturnright(west)onZimmermanAvenue.Streetsideparkingisavailablehere.ContinuewestonZimmerman.

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PositiveEnergyOfNewMexico

SanPedroDrive.Thetourendshere.YoucancontinuewestonIndianSchoolRoad,whichrequiresarightturnonaverybriefbikepathparalleltoSanPedroandthenaquickleftonHainesAvenueatthestoplight.ThentakeanotherquickrightatIndianSchool.

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TomBolackUrbanForestCityPark

EmbudoArroyoSideTrip

AsanalternativetothestartatPiedraLisaArroyo,onecanbeginthetripatEmbudoArroyo,about0.8milestothesouthofPiedraLisa.

EastsideofwoodenoverpassonTramwayBoulevard.TheeastsideoftheoverpassisontheTramwayTrail,0.7milesnorthofIndianSchoolRoadand0.5milessouthofMenaulBoulevard.Bothstreetshaveparkingattheirendpoints,bothlessthanamileeastofTramway.

GoovertheoverpassandcontinuewestpastCrestviewHeightsPark.Curbsideparkingisavailablealongthenorthsideofthepark.Nearthewestendofthepark,gooverthebicycle/pedestrianbridgecrossingEmbudoArroyoandheadstraightdownthetrailalongthearroyo.

ChelwoodParkBoulevard.AbikelaneformuchofChelwoodalongwithconnectingbikeroutesprovidesaccesstoTramwayandMontgomeryBoulevardstothenorthandTramway,CloudviewAvenue,andEncantadoRoadtothesouth.

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CrestviewHeightsPark

JusteastofChelwoodParkBoulevardthepathdivergesfromitsroutebetweenhomesandrunsalongsideIndianSchoolRoad.FromheretoJuanTaboBoulevard,theimmediatesurroundingsarenotparticularlyscenic,butthelongerview--downtheslopingheights,acrossthevalleyanduptheWestMesa--isanimpressiveone,stimulatingquestionsabouthowtheareawasformed.

TheRioGrandeValleyisnotavalleyinthetechnicalsense.Thatis,itwasnotformedbyitsriver.Rather,itisariftvalley,causedbysubsidenceofthevalleyfloorandupliftoftheWestMesaandtheSandias.Thefracturesintheearth’scrustwherethismovementoccursareknownasfaults.River

valleysarecarvedbyariver,butInthecaseofourrift,thefaultingwithitssubsidenceandupliftcamefirst,andthentheRioGrandeflowedthroughit.

Ontheeastsideoftheriftthetotalverticaloffset,accumulatedovermanymillionsofyears,isquitelarge.ThesamerocklayerfoundnearSandiaCrestcanalsobefound20,000feetbelowthevalleyfloor.Whenyouaddthecrest’selevationof5,000feetabovethevalleyfloor,youhaveatotalverticalmovementofabout5miles!Faultingisstillactive,thoughtherateofmovementisimperceptibleandmostofthefaultlinesaredeeplyburied.Foramoredetailedlookatourrift,seeRoadsideGeologyofNewMexico,byHalkaChronicandFieldGuideToTheSandiaMountains,editedbyRobertJulyanandMaryStuever.

Asthemountainsroseupandthevalleysubsided,theincreasedreliefwaspartlyoffsetbyerosion,whichbroughtrocksandsanddownfromthehighlandsintothelowerelevations.Thesesedimentsnowlyingbeneathourfeetaswellasthoseonthevalleyfloorareenormouslyimportanttous,sincetheyholdandtransmitmuchofAlbuquerque’sdrinkingwater.

LookingWest,DownEmbudoArroyo

JuanTaboBoulevard.Justwestofherethetrailturnsnorthwest,awayfromIndianSchoolRoadtoagainrunbetweenhouses.

JunctionPaseodelasMontañas/MorrisStreet.Rejointhemainroutehere.

Thanksforyourhelp:JayneAubele,EdBoles,HectorCruz,CarolDumont,JayEvans,BrandonGriffith, LynneMartin,DavidMitchell,JohnPacheco,FredRoeder,JanetSaiers,RobertTrudo,StephaniWinklepleck.PhotoCredits:Allphotosbytheauthors.Thistrail’sguidewascarefullyresearchedandwrittenbyMarshallKovitzin2012.ItwasrevisedslightlyinMay2020.

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JunctionofEmbudoandPiedraLisaArroyos