New Mexico · Hiking · Sandia Mountain Wilderness · Near Santo Domingo Pueblo

High Voltage

3.1 mi
round trip
299 ft
climb
6,002 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
best months

Is High Voltage open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name High Voltage, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

  • Area Closure for Recreation Residence Structures and Property at 91 Casa Loma Road

    Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-14 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

  • Area Closure for Recreation Residence Structures and Property at 69 Casa Loma Road

    Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-13 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

  • Area Closure for Sandia Crest “Switchback” Hazard Tree and Fuel Reduction Project

    Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-02 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

  • Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts Stage 1 Fire Restriction Lifted

    Agency alert covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-00-26-20 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

  • Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts Stage 1 Fire Restriction Order 03-03-00-26-05

    Agency alert covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-00-26-05 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

As of · Source: USFS · Sandia Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

High Voltage is a 3.1-mile out-and-back hike in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness, part of the Sandia Ranger District of Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. The trail rises from about 5,800 feet to about 6,000 feet, with a total elevation gain of 299 feet, and is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is not accessible. The route is natural-surface and allows both horses and bikes. It sits within designated wilderness, so plan on a route that stays on the trail rather than off-trail exploration. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Placitas show May highs around 79°F and October highs around 71°F, while July and August average highs near 91°F with more wet days. The trail is open year-round. Bobsled, a mountain biking route, and Sidewinder, a hike, both lie about 0.3 miles away. Tight Rope is about 0.6 miles off, and Tunnel Springs, a climbing area, is about 2.6 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    KOA

    Campground

    Campground · 3.9 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsJim Legans, Jr from Albuquerque, New Mexico, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Tinkertown Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 10 mi from Santo Domingo Pueblo

    Folk art museum in Sandia Park, New Mexico

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jim Legans, Jr from Albuquerque, New Mexico, CC BY 2.0 (commons)

More in Santo Domingo Pueblo

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit High Voltage

    Best months: March–May and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      47° / 24°

      2 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      53° / 28°

      3 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      61° / 33°

      3 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      71° / 40°

      3 wet

    5. May

      79° / 48°

      3 wet

    6. Jun

      89° / 58°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      91° / 63°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      89° / 60°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      82° / 53°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      71° / 41°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      56° / 31°

      3 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      46° / 24°

      2 wet · 1 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Placitas 4w, NM, 1.9 mi away at 5,585 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

SidewinderPhoto: snowpeak, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sidewinder

Next door

2.10-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 79 ft elevation gain.

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HIKE

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Tight RopePhoto: snowpeak, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tight Rope

~1 min drive

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Upper Juan Tabo Canyon Trail

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Osha Spring

~7 min drive

8.97-mile out-and-back trail to Osha Spring in New Mexico with 2,865 ft elevation gain.

Strip Mine Trail (51)Photo: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Strip Mine Trail (51)

~2 min drive

0.9-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 399 ft gain and 6,320 ft max elevation.

Penasco BlancoPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Penasco Blanco

~6 min drive

3.32-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 306 ft gain.

Red TailPhoto: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Red Tail

~3 min drive

2.60-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 57 ft of elevation gain.

Fletcher TrailPhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Fletcher Trail

~7 min drive

2.12-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 1,379 ft gain and 1,379 ft loss.