Copper Trailhead Loop

December 5, 2020

The Copper Trailhead sits in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains and spawns four separate trails through the desert landscape.

Dressed in jeans, an undershirt, a t-shirt, a flannel, wool socks and my hiking shoes, I arrived at the Copper Trailhead right at 3:00, pulled up the trail on AllTrails and set out. It was a sunny day and, at 55 degrees, a little warmer than I was expecting.

I knew I was facing a 154 foot elevation gain. I didn’t realize most of that was within the first quarter mile of the hike. In the condition I’m in, it was a task. I had to stop three times on my way up the initial climb, but once I made it up, it was mostly level after that.

The trail heads east on that first quarter mile, then hangs a right south just as soon as you pass the border into the Sandia National Forest. It was truly a desert landscape as I tread through rocks, cacti and sagebrush. As I reached the highest elevation I would attain on this hike at just under 6,100 feet above sea level, I paused to snap a few pics.

The Copper Trailhead Loop saw a few other hikers and some mountain bikers. At one point I had to step over a family that had stopped on the trail to empty rocks from their shoes.

I continued on my way finishing the loop and getting back to my car at around 3:40 or so. This included those couple stops to catch my breath and to snap some pictures on the way.

All in all, I’m very happy with the way the hike went. I wasn’t expecting to finish it any faster than I did, I didn’t over exert myself, and I felt great afterwards. I’m looking forward to going back and trying to make it up that first incline without needing to stop…

I leave you here with these pictures from the hike.