Photo Ops around Albuquerque?

[Lisa Nikodym]

It's not quite a hike, but you can take an aerial tramway to the top of Sandia Peak (within Albuquerque), which is something like 10,000 ft elevation, and see the city and desert for many miles around.  I was there at a time of year (don't remember when, I'm afraid) when there were small local thunderstorms wandering about the desert, which was very interesting and unique to see from the mountaintop.  (I haven't spent more than a couple of days there, though, other than on business, so I don't know what else there is.)

Santa Fe is about an hour away, too, and it has some historic architecture and atmosphere.

Lisa

[Sandfalcon]

A little more information about Sandia Crest- you can also access it by driving the road up to the summit.  The road is 13 miles long, there's a ski lift about 7 miles up.  I was there in early January, my first visit, and can attest the road is very well sanded and plowed all the way to the top.  There are lots of places to park on the shoulder and set out on foot.  No telling what it will be like in March, but in January the snowpack was more than waist-deep (yep, I found out on my own   ).

If you do pull off the road, make sure you're pulling off onto asphalt and not a flat deceptive snowdrift (nope, didn't do this, but saw someone who had).

Although this is information primarily for birdwatchers, there's a ton of info at this website:
http://www.rosyfinch.com/#FEATURED_BELOW

And, a detailed mile-by-mile guide to the road:
http://www.rosyfinch.com/sandia.html#A_GUI..._THE_CREST_ROAD

Brandon

[bobby sargent]

I love Grants New Mexico.  It is about 70 miles west of Albuquerque.  You can see lava fields, 200 foot high sandstone cliffs over looking the lava fields, Mt. Taylor, the second highest arch in NM.  A few Indian ruins are in the area also.  Ice caves and a whole lot more. Hope this helps.

I go to Grants every couple of years for my Traveling Photo shoot trips.  So there are lots of places you can see and shoot.  I am actually going here with 2 models in May.  So enjoy. bs

[outerspace]

I live in Albuquerque (moved from Taos 6 weeks ago, sigh).

Email me and I'll give you what info I have.  What are you interested in shooting?


Stephen

[cfw0047]

Hi folks,

My dad and I will be in Albuquerque for a four day trip in March (24th-27th).  The purpose of the trip is not photography but I should be able to drag him along on one or two photo shoots disguised as hikes. ;-)

If there are any folks familiar with the area I'd love to get some suggestions for hikes/locations that will net some interesting opportuntities.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[BlasR]

Or, you can go to Bosque del APACHE,,,,Is about 45 minutes or a hour from there.
Lisa I just went there so is about 60 milles.

 
Blas

[mikebinok]

Petroglyphs National Monument is on the West side of town.

[Steve Ralser]

The bosque del Apache is 90 miles south of Abq.

 There are a series of ruins in the Salinas National Monument around Mountainair, south of Abq.   e.g  
Quarai Pueblo

Steve

[estockavas]

March weather can either be chamber of commerce brochure sunny and 65 or very very windy. Other sites in about an hours drive are Tent Rocks near Cochiti Pueblo, Bandlier National Monument near Los Alamos (Little further than one hour). The Jemez Pueblo is just up US550 and State route 4. The red canyon walls in the area can provide for some interesting shots. Just in town is the bike trail that extends along the Rio Grande from roughly Old Town up to Corrales. I hope this helps.