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