La Luz Trail

Always a fun time. Very defined trail. Great views although they can get a bit repetitive after a point. Personally never felt this trail to be hard. Lots of rock slides, but if you have decent balance you should be good. Parking is free with the national park pass, otherwise it's paid parking- couple bucks. If you are going to take the tram down after hiking up, know that dogs aren't allowed on the tram. And the tram ends at a different point/ so either park a car at each end or be prepared to hike 2.5-3 miles back from there to La Luz trailhead (which can be brutal in summer)

I want to gatekeep this trail because it's so peaceful and quiet, with not a lot of foot traffic--if any. Make sure to take plenty of water, a snack, and sunscreen or hat.

Did most of this on a weekend morning the second weekend of April, got to the parking lot around 8AM, $3 parking fee. Not too many people on the trail when we were going up, not too steep. Ran into a bit of packed snow that was slippery and icy, so didn't get to the top. On the way down, saw some runners and other hikers. Great hike! Loved the part of the trail that went more into the mountains.

Hot damn. The Sandias sure are flipping gaw-geous!!Since my parents moved to Albuquerque and I heard about the La Luz Trail, I have been wanting to hike to Sandia Peak via this trail. But since my visits tend to happen around Christmas, I haven't gotten the chance until now! Too much snow and ice!My most recent visit happened in the middle of April, which is still a potentially dicey time for the trail, weather-wise. And we encountered some snow and ice between mile 5 and 7. I would have felt better with crampons and hiking sticks....but it was passable, with only minor anxiety and panic attacking on my part.We had my parents drop us off at the trailhead. There are facilities available at the start. They were the cleanest permanent port-a-potties I have *EVER* seen. I think they had just been cleaned/sprayed down.The trail is quite a climb. But I expected it to be more difficult. That isn't to say it was easy by any means...but I think most people, with ample water and time, can certainly handle the trail up until about mile 5. That is where things get intense. The trail becomes more rugged, sometimes a stretch of giant rocks, more switchbacks and a quicker ascent. And then, depending on the time of year....there is a much higher chance of snow and ice....despite it being 80 degrees at ground level. You can be better prepared than I was with good hiking shoes and poles/sticks. If you are like me and don't have those things...you might be able to power through it.The trail is easy to follow. And the higher up on the mountain you go, the nicer the other hikers you run in to are. And the views are to die for!Give yourself plenty of time, bring plenty of water, and enjoy nature!

Wonderful sunset hike with the kids. Beautiful terrain and spectacular views. Not well suited for out of shape hikers... it's kinda steep right off the bat, lots of switchbacks, but it doesn't stop being uphill! It's seven miles to the top... we didn't make it. We hiked up for 45 minutes and hiked back down for 30. It was fun jogging down, but there are some craggy rocks that'll trip you up if you're not particularly agile. Still, terrific vistas at every turn, and fantastic views of the city as the twinkling lights started lighting up at dusk. As with most foothill trails, not particularly shady, but the ridge line keeps you somewhat protected from the sun when it's not high noon.

Without a doubt the best hiking trail in Albuquerque. It's not an incredibly long trail, but it is very very steep and would not say it's for the light hearted. beginner or intermediate hikers should be well prepared and ready for the elements. I've done this hike in the summer and in the winter and while it is doable, I'd say the best time to do this hike is in the fall or spring. Still only a one day hike I'd say anyone can do this. It just depends on how much energy do you wanna put into this grueling hike one cool aspect is if you park at the tram trail head you can hike up and take the tram down which is a pretty cool and unique aspect to this beautiful trail. Make sure you got good shoes and plenty of water because this is a gnarly one. You'll definitely be feeling it tomorrow! What?

We did not get too far on our hike. We did not start until 6 p.m. either.important thing is we were out there enjoying nature and had a great time. The weather was perfect. No wind, a little cooler just right for hiking.The views from up here are amazing. There is two parts of the la Luz trail. If you enjoy hiking download the app all trails. Is free to use I've had it for years. If you look on the app there's two parts of the la Luz trail. when is rated moderate the other one is rated hard.

I just came back from La Luz hike and it was enjoyable.I took a tram to be up here on the Sandia but never had a chance to hike up. We parked our car at the tramway and made our way to the La Luz trailhead (less than 3 miles). Once on the La Luz trail, first 4 miles is easy. In fact, trail is well maintained and perfect for trail runs. I saw several trail runners. With around 7,000 feet in elevation at the trailhead, perfect place to get training.Once you pass around 4 miles mark, trail changes to more narrow with beautiful trees and rock formations. This was my favorite area, I enjoyed taking pictures and scenery.After 6.4 miles mark, it gets a bit tricky with landslide remains and more switch back. I was glad I had a very good pair of hiking boots and poles. Last one mile was not so enjoyable. I knew it's going to end soon, and kept thinking about ice cold beer at the High Finance restaurant at the top. I just wanted to be done with walking.What's so unique about this hike is that you have an option to take a tram back. Instead of walking 7-8 miles down. I hang out at the bar for a while with cold drink in my hand, just enjoyed this high altitude for a while before taking the tram back down ($15).Trail is rated difficult but with the right gears, I thought hiking itself wasn't difficult.

After having spent most of 2018 in Europe for work, when I arrived in Albuquerque I decided to treat myself to some R&R before getting down to business. First up, I set out for hike on the La Luz Trail.Tip: If you climb to the top you'll experience an altitude gain of just over thirty-six hundred feet, starting with a trailhead elevation of seven thousand feet and ending with an elevation of ten thousand five hundred feet at the summit. While there are things to enjoy about this venue year-round, I think the best time of year for this hike is in the Spring and Fall, when there's no snow on the ground and the heat isn't too grueling.There are quite a lot of switchbacks along the trail, which makes the ascent relatively easy. I took my time and enjoyed some truly spectacular views along the way; to the West, you'll see Mt. Taylor, which is approximately 70 miles away. As you ascend, there are several places where crossing rockfalls makes things just a tad tedious, but the overall hiking experience and the incredible views make this an excursion that's incredibly worth doing! As a bonus for making it to the top, you'll be able to ride down on one of the world's longest passenger trams back to the bottom of the mountain. Riding the tram is an experience in and of itself - it's simply not to be missed.The beauty of this venue really energizes both novice and serious hikers alike, and the distance seems shorter than it is as a result. I look forward to returning now that I've relocated to Albuquerque.

Has become one of my favorite trails (and of course this iconic trail is something a New Mexican has to do at least once in their lifetime). It's best to start early (in case of thunderstorms and/or heat), watch out for snakes, bring plenty of sunscreen, snacks, and water, and make sure to occasionally enjoy the view. There are some shaded areas along the way and some boulder fields (possibly snow depending on how early/late you do it in the season). I couldn't imagine running this like some crazy people do (no offense). Took us about 8 hours to the top and took the tram down. Overall, a great day. Would I do it more often? Heck no