Above: Hitting the Paseo del Bosque Trail is like taking a mini-vacation from the city. Photograph Courtesy of ABQ Free Images.
The Albuquerque metropolitan area has about one million humans. But it seems the city has far more cottonwoods, at least on the multi-use Paseo del Bosque Trail. With the paved 16-mile path running through a forest along el Río Grande from the northern to the southern edge of the metro area, the city is at once far away and just at your fingertips.
Various offshoots abound, both paved and dirt. Find a solitary spot for a picnic along the river, or take the family for a walk or a bike ride and visit some of the many cultural attractions along the way, like the Rio Grande Nature Center, the BioPark, and the National Hispanic Cultural Center, plus breweries, shops, restaurants, and parks. The trail provides something few cities can: the best of both our urban and natural worlds.
THERE WILL BE COFFEE
It’s hot and you’ve come far. Take a break from the Paseo del Bosque Trail at Bike In Coffee—an old RV turned caffeine oasis on the 12-acre Old Town Farm. There’s a bike stand for repairs, as well as beverages and farm-fresh food—like a homemade chorizo crepe with an egg on top. Take the I-40 Multi-Use Trail from the Bosque Trail for about a half mile; the farm is on your right.