Some friends and I organized a local ride in the Sandia Mountains starting at the Cienega Canyon Trailhead.
Apache waiting to get saddled up.
A fun trail affectionately called the Tee Pee Trail....for obvious reasons.
They are some tall Tee Pees!
There are probably at least 20 Tee Pees on this trail!
It's such a fun and whimsical trail to ride as it winds through the forest.
Riding the foothills on the east side of the Sandia Mountains.
A couple of my riding partners.
There is nothing I like more than riding beneath tall ponderosas in the mountains.
With a good year of rain, the forest was lush and green with thick vegetation.
Many beautiful wildflowers lined the trail, too.
It was a perfect day for a ride in the mountains!
Up, up, up we go on a steep section of trail, over rocks and roots.
My happy-to-be-in-the-mountains-riding-my-horse selfie!
My riding buddies were enjoying the day, too.
One of my favorite local trees, a Thong Tree, created by Native Americans many years ago, to mark the direction of the closest spring.
Apache and I posing beside the Thong Tree.
Looking across Cienega Canyon.
Apache and I led the way down a large boulder step that turned sharply left at the bottom and dropped us onto a steep, narrow trail with a cliff on one side and a steep drop off on the other. Definitely a technical trail not for beginners or those that are terrified of heights.
But Apache and I took it all in stride and considered it a fun adventure.
A couple of my riding partners were pretty terrified, but they cowgirled up and completed the challenge. I was proud of them!
Continuing down the trail into Cienega Canyon.
We made it to the bottom of the canyon!! One of my riding partners' knees were shaking so much she had to dismount and walk down. haha!
But we all made it down the canyon safe and sound...with a lot more self-confidence for any future trail challenges!
We all thought this huge boulder on the trail was pretty awesome.
Kind of looks like an arrowhead.
This section of trail through the canyon was filled with beautiful wildflowers and hundreds of butterflies!
The trail was so lush and green and we could hear water trickling from a couple springs beside the trail.
There were a few bridges on the trail.
And as we got closer to the Cienega Canyon Picnic Area, there were paved walkways to ride on.
My riding buddy was thrilled to be out on this glorious day on beautiful trails.
Lots of smiling happy faces!
It was a great day! I didn't get us lost, and we all made it back to the trail head safe, sound and happy!
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