Southern Sandias Overlook
Southern Sandias Overlook sits at 10,146 feet along the Turquoise Trail, facing 120 degrees with the terrain dropping 1,461 feet within 600 meters of the site. Pino Canyon Overlook is visible to the southeast at 0.5 miles (9,516 feet), and to the east-northeast lie Tecolote Peak at 1.7 miles (8,823 feet) and Dry Camp Picnic Ground at 1.5 miles (8,660 feet). Tree Spring is visible to the east, 1.5 miles out at 8,449 feet. The facing direction points toward sunrise, roughly 30 degrees off square. Sunrise times shift across the year from 05:52 at the June solstice to 07:11 at the December solstice, with sunset ranging from 20:24 in June to 16:58 in December. Albuquerque is 14.5 miles to the west-southwest, Rio Rancho is 16.6 miles west-northwest, and Santa Fe lies 44.1 miles to the northeast. The previous stop along the byway is Crinoid Fossils, and the next lookout is Pino Canyon Overlook.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Pino Canyon Overlook9,516 ftsoutheast · 0.5 mi
- Tree Spring8,449 fteast · 1.5 mi
- Dry Camp Picnic Ground8,660 fteast-northeast · 1.5 mi
- Tecolote Peak8,823 fteast-northeast · 1.7 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
- Albuquerque14.5 mi west-southwest
- Rio Rancho16.6 mi west-northwest
- Santa Fe44.1 mi northeast
Take the scenic way to Southern Sandias Overlook.
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How high is Southern Sandias Overlook?
Southern Sandias Overlook sits at about 10,146 feet (3,092 m).
What can you see from Southern Sandias Overlook?
From Southern Sandias Overlook: Pino Canyon Overlook (SE, 0.5 mi); Tree Spring (E, 1.5 mi); Dry Camp Picnic Ground (ENE, 1.5 mi); Tecolote Peak (ENE, 1.7 mi).
Is Southern Sandias Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from Southern Sandias 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 Southern Sandias Overlook?
Albuquerque, 15 miles WSW of Southern Sandias Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Southern Sandias Overlook?
Pino Canyon Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Southern Sandias Overlook.
Drive to Southern Sandias Overlook with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Turquoise Trail, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Cedar Crest · 7 mi
- Bernalillo · 10 mi
- Albuquerque · 15 mi
- Edgewood · 16 mi
- Madrid · 22 mi
- Central New Mexico · 25 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Southern Sandias 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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