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Best Canyon Hikes near Albuquerque

There are 13 hikes near Albuquerque in our database that fit. They average 3.7 km and 82 m (269 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 10.9 km.

That is 7 percent of the 199 routes we map near Albuquerque.

Gorge and canyon routes feel far bigger than their distance suggests, with rock walls close on both sides and light that shifts hour by hour. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

Easy

Sunset Canyon Ridge Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Comanche Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
240 m
Typical duration
2 hr 38 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Easy

Lorenzo Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

New Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Otero Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
60 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Ox Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Red Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
83 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Sabino Canyon East Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Sabino Canyon West Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Sunset Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Trail Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
54 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Trigo Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
1 hr 33 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Easy

Tunnel Canyon Trail

New Mexico · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Canyon and gorge

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Sunset Canyon Ridge TrailNew Mexico2.4 km52 m34 minEasyApril to October
Comanche Canyon TrailNew Mexico10.9 km240 m2 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Lorenzo Canyon TrailNew Mexico1.8 km40 m26 minEasyApril to October
New Canyon TrailNew Mexico3.1 km69 m45 minEasyApril to October
Otero Canyon TrailNew Mexico2.7 km60 m39 minEasyApril to October
Ox Canyon TrailNew Mexico6.0 km132 m1 hr 27 minEasyApril to October
Red Canyon TrailNew Mexico3.8 km83 m54 minEasyApril to October
Sabino Canyon East TrailNew Mexico1.3 km29 m19 minEasyApril to October
Sabino Canyon West TrailNew Mexico1.9 km42 m28 minEasyApril to October
Sunset Canyon TrailNew Mexico1.7 km38 m25 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Sunset Canyon Ridge Trail, Comanche Canyon Trail, Otero Canyon Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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