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0.0milesfromOpenSpaceVisitorCenter5.5mileseastofeastPaseodelaMesatrailhead
PaseodelaMesaTrailThePaseodelaMesatrailonAlbuquerque’sfarwestsideispeacefulandquietandalongwayfromthehubbubofthebigcity.Butfortheoccasionalprivateplaneorhelicopterflyingoverhead,youcouldbeinacompletelyisolatedpartofNewMexico.Youcanparkateitherendofthis4.4miletrail,butyoucanalsomakea20milerideofthetripbystartingandendingatoneofAlbuquerque’shiddenjewels,theOpenSpaceVisitorCenter,justoffcongestedCoorsBlvd.Therearebusystreetsbetweenthevisitorcenterandthetrailhead,makingitlessthanidealforchildren,whilethetrailitselfwouldbeperfectforafamilyouting.Thetour,includingthetrailitself,headsgenerallyinawestwarddirectionandalsoheadsgraduallyandoccasionallyfairlysteeplyuphill,makingthereturntripmuchfasterthantheupwardjourney.Parkingavailableat
• OpenSpaceVisitorCenter•
AlongstreetsbetweenVisitorCenterandintersectionofMontañoRd.andTaylorRanchRoad•
Atlargepavedparkingareaateastendoftrail,off81stStreet•
Atsmall,gravelparkinglotoffAtriscoVistaBoulevard
TheOpenSpaceVisitorCenterishousedinalovelyadobe-stylebuildinglookingoutitseastwindowsattheBosque.Althoughtheaddressofthecenteris6500CoorsBlvd.NW,itislocatedafewhundred
yardseastofthearterial,attheendofBosqueMeadowsRoad,betweenMontañoRoadandPaseodelNorte.
Thevisitorcenter,basedonthehomeandlanddonatedbyAlbuquerquedeveloperCodaRoberson,containsagallerydisplayinglocalartTheexhibitsareusuallybasedonwhatonemightseeincityopenspace,museumexhibitsconcerningcityopenspaceparcels–theirgeology,archeologyandbiology.TheVisitorCenteralsoincludesalargegarden,meetingrooms,restroomsandwaterfountains,andaviewingtowerfromwhichyoucanlookoutontheBosqueandtheSandiasbeyond.You’realmostcertaintoseeCanadageesehere
allyearlong,withthespecialtreatofsandhillcranesflyingintofeedinthefieldseastoftheVisitorCenterinwinter.
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JustnorthofthevisitorcenterliethelargelyunexcavatedPiedrasMarcadas(“paintedrocks”inSpanish)Puebloruins.PiedrasMarcadaswasprobablythelargestpueblointheMiddleRioGrandeValleywhenCoronadofirstarrivedinthevalleyin1540,butitwasabandonedbythe17thcentury.Cochiti,SandiaandSantaAnaPueblosciteevidencethattheirancestorscamefromPiedrasMarcadas.Thepuebloisbeingexaminedusingsonarandothernon-invasivetechniqueswhilebeingleftalmostcompletelyunexcavated.TheOpenSpaceVisitorCenterhostsfrequenttalksandwalksonhistoryandnaturalhistoryofthearea;occasionallytheseconcernthePiedrasMarcadasruins.InformationabouttheOpenSpaceVisitorCenter,itsartexhibits,thetrailsleadingoutintotheBosquefromhere,itssculpturegarden,anditsspeakerprogramsisavailableathttp://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/open-space-visitor-center.Openspacerangersandvolunteers,alwayshelpful,staffthedeskattheVisitorCenter.IfyourtripupthemesatothePaseodelaMesatrailleavesyouwantingmoreanddifferentexposurestothearea,,therearethreemilesoflooptrailsheadingfromthevisitorcenteracrosstheCorralesRiversideDrainintotheBosqueandouttotheRioGrandeitself.Thesearenotpaved,andprobablysuitedonlytohikesormountainbikes.Headoutfromtheparkinglot;you’llsoonbeonBosqueMeadowsRoad,whichleadsashortdistancetoCoors,amajorarterial(at0.3miles).Coorshasabikelaneonbothsides,makingtraveltheremoderatelysafe.TurnsouthonCoorsfor0.5miles,andthenwestonLaOrillaRoadandclimbthehilltoTaylorRanchRoad(2.6miles).YoumeetTaylorRanchRoadatthecornerofMariposaBasinPark.MariposaBasinParkisagrassyspacethatserves,accordingtotheTaylorParkNeighborhoodAssociationwebsite,trna.org,as“aplaceforthewholecommunity-andhomeoftheannualEasteregghunt.Here'sthelibrary[amilewest].Hereareschools.Here'sthecommunitycenterthatfinallyopenedinOctober2005.”Herealsoarethree“prescriptiontrails.”PrescriptiontrailsareoneofAlbuquerque’sanswerstotheepidemicofobesitysweepingtheUS;physiciansandotherscanrecommendtrailsforwalking,stroller-pushing,orwheelchairrollingineverycornerofthecity.ThethreeinMariposaBasinParkrangefrom½to1mileandarepavedforallusers.TofindmoreinformationabouttheprescriptiontrailsinMariposaBasinParkandinallpartsofthecity,gotohttp://www.cabq.gov/parks/prescription-trails.TheparkisalsohometoonesegmentoftheUnser/Mariposa/RiversideBikeTrailsystem,whichisdescribedinanothertour.
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“Crossing”,byJackMackie
Youcangettothetrailheadbyroad,turningnorthonTaylorRanchRoad,thenwestonMontañoandnorthagainonUnserBlvd.ConstructionofthispartofUnsercausedagreatdealofcontroversyintheearly2000s;religiousleadersfromtheRioGrandepuebloswereoutragedatdesecrationofPuebloreligioussites
bycommutertraffic.Whateveryoumaythinkofit,theroadcutissweetenedbySeattleartistJackMackie’simmenseandimpressivestone,ceramicandtilemosaicsculpture,“Crossing,”liningbothnorthandsouthsidesofthecut.However,it’smorepleasanttotakeamostlybiketrailroutefromthesouthwestcornerofMariposaBasinPark(gettherebytakingthepark’sperimetertraileitherclockwise,abitshorter,orcounterclockwise),whichtravelsinagenerallywesterlydirectionupthearroyofromthepark,crossesSanIldefonsoDriveandmovestotheoppositesideofthearroyobeforecontinuingwest,andontoTesuqueDrive.TurnleftonTesuqueDriveforablock,andthentakeMojaveStreetalongblockwesttoAtriscoDrive.Fromthiscorner,youcanseethecontroversialpartofUnserBlvd.toyourleft,butturnrightinsteadonAtriscoandrideupthesteepescarpmentonawell-pavedbiketrailpastthepartofthePetroglyphNationalMonumentcalledBocaNegraCanyon.Atthetopofthehill,you’llpasssomepicnictablesandcomeoutonUnserBlvd.,whereyouturnleft(south)forone-halfmileuntilyoureacharightturnatMoltenRockRoad.TheareanowcalledtheAlbuquerqueWestMesawasandremainsaculturalnecessityformanyofthePueblotribesinthearea.AlthoughremainsofPueblovillagesareconfinedtoareasclosertotheRioGrande,Pueblotribesconsidertheancienttrails,shrines,andpetroglyphscentraltotheirsenseofself.AccordingtoPhillipLauriano,SandiaPueblotribalcouncilor,
“ThepetroglyphsarethenervecenterofPuebloculture,religion,andtradition.Theyaretheretoprotect,toteach,toadvise,todoctor,tocure.Whenanythingisplannedinthewayofceremonies,therearecertainareasthere[amongtheimages]whereyoumakeyourannouncementintheformof
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5.5mileswestofOpenSpaceVisitorCenter0.0milesfromeastPaseodelaMesatrailhead
prayer.Andthatischanneledintothepetroglyphs,…somewherebeyondthegreatdividetoareservoirofstrengthandpower,andthespiritualisawakened.”
WehavewrittenmoreaboutthepetroglyphsandwhatcanbeknownoftheirmeaningtoPueblotribeswhendiscussingtheUnserBoulevard/Mariposa/RiverviewTrail.Forpurposesofthistour,realizethatyouareridingamongsome20,000rockimagesdrawnandetchedintothevolcanicstoneallaroundyou.TurnwestonMoltenRockRoadbeforeUnserBlvd.descendsthroughthecut–thoughit’scalledMoltenRockRoad,therockthatyouwillseeisquitesolidbynow.ThelasteruptionofthefissurevolcanoesintheAlbuquerquefieldisthoughttohavebeenabout150,000yearsago.Turnsouthquicklyagainat81stStreet.You’llseeasignonthewestsideoftheroadforthePaseodelaMesabiketrail.Turninhere,parkingintheparkinglotifyou’reinacar,orcontinuingthroughtheparkinglotifbybike.Ifyouweretocontinuesouthon81stStreet,youwouldfirstencountertheBocaNegraHorseman’sComplex(http://www.cabq.gov/openspace/BocaNegraHorsemansComplex.html),andthentheGeorgeJ.MaloofMemorialAirParkforradio-controlledmodelairplanes(http://www.cabq.gov/openspace/GeorgeJ.MaloofMemorialAirPark.html).Bothoftheseareopentothepublic.
Forthefirst0.6mileofthePaseodelaMesa,youaretravelingadjacenttoafence,separatingtheuntamedmesatothesouthfromahousingdevelopmenttothenorth.Flowersanddesertplantslinethetrail;inspringthebushpenstemon(Penstemonambiguous)putsonawhite/pink/purpleshow;theorangeglobemallowinsummerandtheyellowchamisainfallalsocontributetothebeautyofthetrail.
Bushpenstemoninspringalongtrail
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Albuquerque’slineoflargelyextinctvolcanosarearrayedaheadandtothesouth.ThenearestisButteVolcano;tothesouthstandfirstBond,thenVulcan,Black,andJA(thelastthreeareoftencalledtheThreeSisters),aswellas14smallerfissurevolcanoes.Thevolcanoesandthesurroundingplainshavebeenhometosomecelebratedhijinks,someenjoyable,somegrisly.In1947,anapparentvolcaniceruptioncausedintenselocalinterestandsomeconsternationuntilitwasdeterminedthatcollegeboysweresimulatingavolcano’ssmokebyburningoldtires;asimilarescapadein1950wasmorequicklydiagnosed.In1990,unusually-patternedlinesandcrosseswerediscoveredoveralargeareaoftheMesa,promptingspeculationthatalienswerelandingthereanderectingcomplexsignalstooneanother(itisonlyabout170milesasthespaceshipfliesfromheretoRoswell,thatcenterof“alienactivity”).Againthespeculationproveduntrue:agrouphadstakedoutanelaborategamesiteandthenlaidlowwhenthenewspaperaccountsbegan.Muchmorereal,unfortunately,wasthefindingoftheremainsofsome11bodiesofyoungwomenontheWestMesabeginningin2009,theresultofthemurdersofthesewomen;themurdersremainunsolved.Muchofthelandyou’llbepassingthroughonthistourwasoncepartoftheBlackRanch,namedforA.F.Black,whocametoNewMexicofromWestVirginiain1929.Blackandhisdescendantsworkedhorses,cattle,andsheepformorethan50yearsonalargeswathoflandstretchingfromtheRioGrandetotheedgeofthemesabreaksoverlookingtheRioPuercotothewest.Priortothat,thelandhadbeenpartoftheAlamedaLandGrantgivenbyKingPhilipIVofSpainin1710toaSpanishsoldier,FranciscoMontes
Vigil,whosolditin1712toJuanGonzálesBlas.Andevenbeforethat,agroupofPuebloIndianshadabandonedtheAlamedaPuebloonpartofthesamelandalongtheriver.TheoldBlackRanchlandishometoalargepartoftheexplosivegrowthonAlbuquerque’sWestSide;theWestMesa’spopulationwaslistedas39,602in1980buthadincreasedmorethanfivetimesto210,740in2010.
ThetrailpassesbetweentheNorthandSouthGeologicWindows–openingsintothegeologicpastcreatedbyoccasionally-filledwashesrevealingthestrataunderlyingthegentlyrollinghighdesert.AccordingtothePetroglyphNationalMonument’s
Snakeweedinbloominfall
Snakeweed
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Stinkbug,orpinacatebeetle
formerchiefinterpretiveofficer,DianeSouder,theSouthGeologicWindowbelongstorattlesnakesandblown-intumbleweeds.TheNorthGeologicWindowisofmoreinterest,thoughthestatusofvisitingitisinflux.Periodically,AlbuquerqueOpenSpaceofferstoursofthearea,completewithgeologicdiscussion(consulttheOpenSpaceVisitorCenterinformationattheirwebsite,listedabove).Alongmuchofthetrail,occasionalpipesandfiberopticcablewarningspopupfromamongthelavarocksanddesertplants.TheDoubleEagleAirport,whichsitsjustpasttheendofthetrail,neededbothwaterandafiberopticconnection,especiallywhentheairportwastobeusedtohousetestflightsoftheEclipseAviationCompany.Eclipsewastohavebeenamajoreconomicengineforthealways-marginalAlbuquerqueeconomy,manufacturingrelativelyinexpensiveprivatejets(initiallytohavecostlessthan$1million);theeconomicrecessionof2008eclipsedthecompany’schances.
Inanycase,inordertoallowtheroutingofwaterandfiberopticsthroughcityOpenSpace,theOpenSpaceDivisionexactedtheconcessionofanaccompanyingbiketrail.MayorRichardBerryinauguratedthenewtrail,calledPaseodelaMesa,inAugust2010.AlthoughtherewillbecontinueddevelopmentontheburgeoningWestSide,theareawestandsouthofhereissafelypreservedasOpenSpace.1.9milesfromitsstart,thetrailtakesaninetydegreeturntothenorthclosetoalargeelectricitytransmissionline.Turningalmostninetydegreestothesouthhereinsteadtakesoneonanunpaveddouble-tracktrailtoeachofthevolcanoesinturn,butitisclosedtobicycles.
The200,000yearoldsolidifiedmoltenrock–basalt–isateveryhand.Theausterelandscapehidesmanytreasures,amongthemanimals–bears,bobcats,cougars,badgers,elk,andantelopeshaveallbeenseenhere,thoughitismorelikelythatyou’llseeafewbirds,alizardorstinkbugortwo,andtheever-presentharesandtheirpredators,thecoyotes.Highdesertplants,too,arecommon.NativeAmericanssoughtmedicinalherbsinthisarea;scorpionweed,sandsage,four-wingsaltbushanddockwereall
Chamisainfall,withavisitor
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10.0mileswestofOpenSpaceVisitorCenter4.4mileswestoftheeastPaseodelaMesaTrailhead
collectedinthisareaandusedbybothNativeAmericansandHispanicsettlersfortheirmedicinalqualities.Theprettysnakeweed,however,ismildlytoxictoanimals.TheWestMesawasoncecoveredwithhighgrasses,butovergrazingandclimatechangecontributedtothecurrentlower,mixedvegetation.At3.3milesfromthePaseodelaMesa’sstart(8.8milesfromtheOpenSpacevisitorcenter,thetrailturnsbacktothewest;aheadofyoutonorthisapileofvolcanicrocks.
Theendofthepavedtrailis4.4milesfromitsbeginning,atalittlegravelparkinglot,justone-tenthofamilefromnewpavementonAtriscoVistaBoulevard.Acrossthestreetfromthesmalldriveway,signedforthePaseodelaMesa,youwillseethe
northeastcorneroftheDoubleEagleIIAirportfence.TheDoubleEagleAirport(website:https://abqsunport.com/about-us/double-eagle-ii-airport/)wasbuiltin1982-83asarelieverairportforgeneralaviation.Atonepoint,itwasthoughttoperhapsbeafuturereplacementfortheAlbuquerqueInternationalAirport,giventheextensivelandavailablenearby,butthatappearsunlikelynow.JustsouthofthedrivewayforDoubleEagleAirport,itselfsouthoftheendofthistrail,aspurroadleadstoa
Afinevolcanoscape
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parkingareafortheVolcanoDayUsearea,whereyoucangetup-close-and-personalwiththethreelargestvolcanoesbywalkingonwell-developeddirttrailswithbeautifulviewsofthevalleysandtheSandiaMountainstotheeast.Acommentisimportanthereontwoofthenameshereatthewestend,theDoubleEagleIIAirportandAtriscoVistaBlvd.ThenamingofDoubleEagleIIAirportreflectsAlbuquerque’sromancewiththehotairballoonaswellasfasterandmorepredictablemodesofairtransport.TheDoubleEagleIIballoonwasthefirsthotairballoontocrosstheAtlantic,leavingfromPresqueIsle,Maine,andlandingin
Miserey,outsideParis,FranceinAugust1978.ItspilotsatthetimewereLarryNewman,BenAbruzzo,andMaxieAnderson,flyingthecoursein137hoursintheDoubleEagleIIballoon.AbruzzoandAndersonwereAlbuquerqueansandarehonoredinthenamingoftheAnderson-AbruzzoBalloonMuseuminnorthAlbuquerque(seethedescriptionoftheNorthDiversionChannelTrail).TheAtriscoLandGrant,forwhichAtriscoVistaBlvd.isnamed,wasoneofthefirstSpanishlandgrantsinNewMexico.FollowingtheSpanishreconquestoftheprovincein1692afterthePuebloRevoltof1680,thechiefre-Conquistador,DonDiegodeVargas,grantedoneofhissoldiers,DonFernandoDuranyChavezII,an82,000acreswathoflandstretchingfromtheRioGrandetotheRioPuercotothewest.Settlementontheland,whichbecameknownasAtrisco,beganin1703,threeyearsbeforetheonsetofsettlementacrosstheriverintheVilladeAlburquerque.Thevillage,apparentlynamedafteratownnearPuebla,MexicocalledAtlixco,hasbeeninhabitedsince,largelybydescendantsoftheearlysettlers.
RevisedApril26,2020.
TheDoubleEagleII
