Kiwanis Cabin via South Crest Trail

June 6, 2021

A month since my last hike, I was able to finally get out for a jaunt this morning. Read on for a recap of my experience on this quick morning hike.

The Kiwanis Cabin

Some time in the 1920s, a local Kiwanis club decided to build a wooden cabin on the western ridge of Sandia peak. It was destroyed in a fire shortly after. The club rebuilt the cabin only to have it destroyed once more, this time by strong winds.

Unwilling to give up, the club contacted the Civilian Conservation Corps for help in planning and building a lasting shelter on top of the mountain.

Some time around 1930, a stone cabin made from limestone gathered from the immediate area was built. The stones were unfinished to blend in seamlessly with the building’s surroundings.

Today, I made the hike from the Sandia Crest House to the Kiwanis Cabin via the South Crest Trail.

Trail Stats

AllTrails lists this trail as an easy, 1.7 mile loop trail with a 374 foot elevation gain.

To the Trailhead!

I left the apartment a little bit after 8:00, stopped at Starbucks and Blake’s then headed down Central, through Tijeras, through Cedar Crest then up Sandia Crest Road to the tippy top.

From the parking lot, there are several trailheads leading in all different directions. I headed toward the southern most trailhead and Ash and I embarked on our journey.

The first portion of the trail is a paved sidewalk and passes a couple of overlooks that offer magnificent views of Albuquerque. Before long, the sidewalk ends and you’re guided up a steep, very narrow stairway to an elevated portion of the trail.

The trail continues on through the forest until you happen upon a large meadow that the trail follows for a bit. The trail continues south before reaching the stone cabin.

Arriving at the Cabin

We got to the cabin after about 30 minutes or so. The area was deserted. It was just me and Ash. We walked in to the cabin, took some photos and I poured Ash some water before we were joined by a young, college aged man who asked about the history behind the cabin. I told him what I knew and directed him to the informational sign at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the cabin. Before I knew it, the cabin was swarmed with people, many of whom came into the cabin for photos similar to the ones I had taken.

Once the crowds thinned, I sat to enjoy my Blake’s breakfast burrito. I savored the flavors and the sights and the sounds and the smells. It was a wholly satisfying experience.

The Second Half

Once I was done with my Blake’s breakfast burrito, Ash and I found a couple nearby who were willing to snap a pic of us. I am not happy at all with the way the picture came out. Not necessarily because of the quality of the picture, just how frigging huge I look.

But, this isn’t a hiding place. I post that picture here now.

We headed off for the second half of the journey. The trail back dips downhill for a bit, then turns upward and is an uphill climb the rest of the way back to the trailhead. I had to take a few breaks along the way but we powered through and made it back to the car at around 11:40.

Conclusion

The Kiwanis Cabin via South Crest Trail is about as long as the Cedro Creek Nature Trail hike but offers a more complex elevation profile and a different set of obstacles, not to mention the fact that it’s about 3,000 feet higher in elevation, making it a slightly more challenging trail.

Overall, I completed close to 2 miles in one hour and 17 minutes of actual moving time. I really enjoyed hiking this trail today and look forward to hiking it again in the future.

Up Next

After our trip up the tram and to Ten3, Alan mentioned hiking from the peak, where my hike today originated, to the top of the tram. I think that’s going to be my next challenge.

Also on the horizon is our next camping trip. We will be visiting an area I’ve never been to, I’ll be able to cross that off my To-Do List.

I will be picking up more camping equipment here before long. Keep an eye out for my thoughts on them.

Pictures from today’s hike follow. As always, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you!

-Phil