Pondorosa Point
Pondorosa Point sits along Historic Route 66 at 8,296 feet, facing 200 degrees toward the southwest. The terrain drops 752 feet within 600 meters of the overlook, giving an open view down toward the valley below. La Cueva Picnic Site lies west-southwest at 1.3 miles and 6,529 feet, with Patricia Cassidy Park farther southwest at 3.0 miles and 5,951 feet. The Harrison H. Schmitt Big Sky Hang Glider Park and Big Sky Hanglider Park are both visible to the west-southwest and southwest, at 3.5 and 4.1 miles respectively, with Altamonte Little League also southwest at 4.1 miles and 5,715 feet. Albuquerque is 13.6 miles to the southwest, and Rio Rancho is 14.1 miles to the west-northwest; Santa Fe lies 44.4 miles northeast. Sunrise and sunset times vary through the year, from a 05:52 sunrise near the June solstice to a 07:11 sunrise near the December solstice, with sunset ranging between 16:58 and 20:24. Cañon La Cueva Overlook precedes this stop on the byway, and Galisteo Basin Overlook follows it.
![500px provided description: Sunset near Sandia Crest, New Mexico [#sky ,#red ,#sunset ,#clouds ,#pink ,#thunder ,#blood ,#mesa ,#drammatic]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Sunset_Near_Sandia_Crest_%28212958723%29.jpeg/1920px-Sunset_Near_Sandia_Crest_%28212958723%29.jpeg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- La Cueva Picnic Site6,529 ftwest-southwest · 1.3 mi
- Patricia Cassidy Park5,951 ftsouthwest · 3.0 mi
- Harrison H. Schmitt Big Sky Hang Glider Park5,803 ftsouthwest · 3.5 mi
- Altamonte Little League5,715 ftsouthwest · 4.1 mi
- Big Sky Hanglider Park5,678 ftwest-southwest · 4.1 mi
Light
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:10 | 19:18 | 18:44 |
| June solstice | 05:52 | 20:24 | 19:47 |
| September equinox | 06:55 | 19:04 | 18:31 |
| December solstice | 07:11 | 16:58 | 16:19 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Albuquerque13.6 mi southwest
- Rio Rancho14.1 mi west-northwest
- Santa Fe44.4 mi northeast
Take the scenic way to Pondorosa Point.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.
How high is Pondorosa Point?
Pondorosa Point sits at about 8,296 feet (2,529 m).
What can you see from Pondorosa Point?
From Pondorosa Point: La Cueva Picnic Site (WSW, 1.3 mi); Patricia Cassidy Park (SW, 3.0 mi); Harrison H. Schmitt Big Sky Hang Glider Park (SW, 3.5 mi); Altamonte Little League (SW, 4.1 mi).
What is the nearest town to Pondorosa Point?
Albuquerque, 14 miles SW of Pondorosa Point.
What is the next lookout after Pondorosa Point?
Galisteo Basin Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Pondorosa Point.
Drive to Pondorosa Point 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
- Bernalillo · 8 mi
- Cedar Crest · 9 mi
- Albuquerque · 14 mi
- Edgewood · 18 mi
- Madrid · 22 mi
- Central New Mexico · 26 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Pondorosa Point — 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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