Forest Loop

4.8/5 (6 reviews)
Amidst breathtaking vistas, Forest Loop (FR445) lazily meanders through the northwest corner of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness. Nestled between Sandia Pueblo and the Village of Placitas, this trail winds around in juniper, cactus, sand, and sage as the ridgeline of the Sandias climbs above. At ... Read More
Start 7-Day Free Trial
All-Access Icon
Forest Loop is an All-Access Member Only trail guide. You'll need to start a 7-Day Free Trial to see this guide.

Highlights of Forest Loop

Desert Category Icon Desert
Forest Category Icon Forest
Snow Wheeling Category Icon Snow Wheeling
Wash Category Icon Wash
Highest Elevation
6084 ft
Shape of Trail
Loop
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
N/A
Official Trail Name
445
Nearest Town
Placitas
Nearest Services
Bernalillo
Management Agency
National Forest Service
District
Sandia Ranger District, Cibola National Forest

Overview

Amidst breathtaking vistas, Forest Loop (FR445) lazily meanders through the northwest corner of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness. Nestled between Sandia Pueblo and the Village of Placitas, this trail winds around in juniper, cactus, sand, and sage as the ridgeline of the Sandias climbs above. At nearly any point along the trail, one can see for many miles across the Albuquerque Basin and Rio Grande Valley. The region's surrounding mountain ranges, dormant volcanoes, ancient lava flows and mesas are all visible in the distance. A prominent hiking trail off of Forest Loop, Piedra Lisa, provides access to Waterfall Canyon and linked trails leading all the way to the 10,678-foot Sandia Peak. Whether you want to load up your bike, day pack, picnic basket or just take a pleasant drive through the foothills, Forest Loop is a great destination.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
10 Waypoints
32 Trail Photos
2 Trail Concerns
6 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
App Store Icon Open in App
Gaia GPS Icon Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail

Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides

3000+ Detailed Trail Guides
2000+ Member Only Scout Routes
Companion App with Offline Use
New Tracks Added Weekly
Download GPX Files and Print Guides
Access to Trail Guide Writer
What makes our Trail Guides so great?

Sign Up for Free to Get a Taste of Adventure

Free Members get 205 introductory guides to explore. Upgrade to an All-Access Membership for 5,000+ trails at your fingertips.
Start a free trial and get this level of detail on every trail guide
Start Free Trial