Name: Birdhouse Ridge
Rating: 4.1

“A great alternate start or finish, to/from the Tunnel Canyon trailhead.”

— LeeAB Brinckerhoff

GPX File

E-Bikes Allowed

Features -none-

May be closed during the summer months due to fire danger, check with the ranger station for details.

Description

This trail was cut in 2011 by FOO and the forest service, and is a great addition. It is mostly flat and downhill if you start from the West Ridge Trail.

Starting from the West Ridge junction you'll quickly come to a small burned out area that offers a great view of the back side of the Sandia Mountains. From here things start to drop with lots of twists and turns as the trail contours more along a hillside than a ridge. There are also a few sections with rock ledges but nothing too technical.

Eventually you really start to go down on an open hillside and you'll encounter a couple of hairpins, then a longer straight section with some more rocky bits followed by 2 more hairpins. The trail then enters the trees again for the last fast, flowing bit before you pop out onto the Tunnel Canyon Trail less than 100 yards from the Tunnel Canyon Trailhead.

You can also climb the trail as an alternate approach to the West Ridge.