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Running trails in Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque has 31 trails in the directory — 3 paved and 7 on crushed gravel or dirt, 7 loops that return to the trailhead, 6 with a stated distance, 7 shaded, and 3 open 24 hours. 24 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 23,892 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Sandia Peak Tramway
4.7 ★★★★★ 12,430 reviews
2.7-mi aerial tram ride with Albuquerque & mountain views to a peak with trails, skiing & dining.
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,610 reviews
Riverside forest featuring trails, bird watching & native plants, plus exhibits & picnicking.
Mariposa Basin Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,164 reviews
3 walking trail loops around ponds, a draw for bird watchers, plus playgrounds & sports fields.
Boca Negra Canyon
4.6 ★★★★★ 950 reviews
Rustic desert park featuring low-key day hikes amid numerous petroglyphs carved into volcanic rocks.
Embudito Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 784 reviews
Scenic hike leading to sweeping city views and a variety of terrain.
Alameda / Rio Grande Open Space
4.7 ★★★★★ 579 reviews
Popular riverside park offering trails, birding and horseback riding.
Rinconada Canyon Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 533 reviews
Easy loop trail for viewing ancient rock drawings.
La Luz Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 489 reviews
Rough hiking path offering sweeping vistas of the sprawling city.
Menaul Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 496 reviews
Hiking, biking, and horseback riding are available at this park with trails and picnic tables.
Petroglyph National Monument, Piedras Marcadas Canyon Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 477 reviews
Pino Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 406 reviews
Scenic trail, good for hikers but also frequented by bikers.
Elena Gallegos Open Space
4.8 ★★★★★ 389 reviews
Easygoing park offering a series of mountain biking & hiking trails, mountain views & picnic spots.
Piedras Marcadas Canyon
4.7 ★★★★★ 367 reviews
Easy trails featuring rock art (petroglyphs) carved by ancient people and views of Albuquerque.
Michael Emery Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 356 reviews
Popular with hikers & mountain bikers, this trail offers rugged scenery, shrubs & diverse wildlife.
Los Poblanos Fields Open Space
4.8 ★★★★★ 306 reviews
Open space & an active farming area featuring dog-friendly hiking/biking trails & wildlife habitats.
Piedra Lisa Canyon Loop Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 176 reviews
Rocky area featuring multiple trails of varying difficulty levels.
Manzano/Four Hills Open Space
4.7 ★★★★★ 147 reviews
Hiking area with a series of sloping hills, featuring a variety of plants & wildlife.
Tingley Drive Southern Bosque Trailhead
4.5 ★★★★★ 122 reviews
Hiking area along the Rio Grande with a paved trail, picnic tables, and kid-friendly walks.
Piedra Lisa Canyon Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 108 reviews
Well-known, dog-friendly trek with rock scrambles, for climbing, hiking and cycling.
Grand Enchantment Trail - Tramway Trail Segment Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 67 reviews
Hiking range with a tramway as well as trails, offering city views, snacks and parking.
Sandia Foothills Open Space
4.6 ★★★★★ 48 reviews
Natural area with many varieties of wildlife in the foothills & outdoor recreation opportunities.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Albuquerque
- Match the surface to your legs. Albuquerque gives you a choice: 5 natural surface, 5 mixed, 3 paved, and 2 crushed gravel. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More natural surface trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 7 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Albuquerque is Manzano/Four Hills Open Space at 8 mi. 1 trail is long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 3 trails in Albuquerque are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 24 of the 31 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 1 is lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 26 have trailhead parking, 12 have restrooms, and 3 have a water fountain in Albuquerque. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 7 shaded, 4 with mile markers, 7 that runners describe as quiet, 11 dog-friendly, and 19 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Albuquerque trails by type
- Natural surface trails
- Mixed trails
- Paved trails
- Crushed gravel trails
- Loop trails
- Long-run trails (5+ mi)
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trails with water fountains
- Trailhead parking
- Trails with mile markers
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near Albuquerque
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.