Madera Overlook
Madera Overlook sits at 8,641 feet along Historic Route 66, facing 120 degrees toward the southeast. The land drops 725 feet within 600 meters of the overlook, giving the view its depth. Dry Camp Picnic Ground lies to the south, 0.9 miles away at 8,660 feet in elevation. The facing direction is angled 30 degrees off true sunrise alignment, with sunrise times ranging from 05:52 at the June solstice to 07:11 at the December solstice, and sunset ranging from 16:58 in December to 20:24 in June. Albuquerque is 16.5 miles to the west-southwest, Rio Rancho is 17.1 miles to the west-northwest, and Santa Fe is 42.0 miles to the northeast. Capitol View is the previous lookout along the byway, with Bodhi Tree next along the route.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Dry Camp Picnic Ground8,660 ftsouth · 0.9 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunrise — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:10 | 19:18 | 18:44 |
| June solstice | 05:52 | 20:24 | 19:47 |
| September equinox | 06:54 | 19:04 | 18:31 |
| December solstice | 07:11 | 16:58 | 16:19 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Albuquerque16.5 mi west-southwest
- Rio Rancho17.1 mi west-northwest
- Santa Fe42.0 mi northeast
Take the scenic way to Madera Overlook.
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How high is Madera Overlook?
Madera Overlook sits at about 8,641 feet (2,634 m).
What can you see from Madera Overlook?
From Madera Overlook: Dry Camp Picnic Ground (S, 0.9 mi).
Is Madera Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from Madera Overlook toward the sunrise, so at sunset the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Madera Overlook?
Albuquerque, 17 miles WSW of Madera Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Madera Overlook?
Bodhi Tree is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Madera Overlook.
Drive to Madera Overlook with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Historic Route 66, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Cedar Crest · 8 mi
- Bernalillo · 10 mi
- Albuquerque · 16 mi
- Edgewood · 16 mi
- Madrid · 20 mi
- Central New Mexico · 27 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Madera Overlook — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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Field notes
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