Rural, forested community in the East Mountains of Albuquerque
Sandia Knolls consists of its namesake subdivision and the surrounding ranch-style home properties that come with generous acreage, covering the forested land at the foot of Monte Largo in the East Mountains of Albuquerque. The Cibola National Forest is nearby too, which has equestrian trails. “People come out here because it’s out of the city. It’s cooler, more rural and it has more trees,” says Seth Jacob, a Realtor with Realty One of New Mexico. “They want to have more privacy, and a lot of people here have horses.”
Stucco builds and ranch-style homes with room for animals and gardens
Homes in Sandia Knolls come in a breadth of sizes and price points. Traditional ranch-style homes, Pueblo-style builds, and mountain cabin-inspired homes constructed between the 1970s and 1980s cost between $275,000 and $385,000. These homes tend to come with decks that overlook paved patios and wooded lots stretching from half an acre of land to one and a half acres. Contemporary stucco homes constructed as early as the 1970s and as late as the early 2000s on about 2 acres of land range from $425,000 and $550,000, offering homeowners the opportunity to maintain farm animals, gardens or a workshop. Rambling stucco homes on lots over 2 acres built between the early 2000s and the 2020s are largely located on the southern outskirts of the area, fetching between $715,000 and $800,000.
The CAP Index Crime Score in Sandia Knolls is 1 out of 10, which is significantly lower than the national average of 4.
Hiking, biking, horseback riding and skiing in “National Forest”
The Cibola National Forest—referred to simply as “National Forest” by locals—covers the jagged Sandia Peak, which forms a natural border between Sandia Knolls and the city of Albuquerque to the west. On the Sandia Knolls side of the crest, the Sandia Peak Ski Area and the Capulin Snow Play Site offer skiing and sledding once snowfall hits the mountain.
Immediately north of the Sandia Knolls subdivision, a piñon-juniper forest makes up the rugged Sandia Knolls Open Space, where a small arroyo and paths trodden by hikers carve through the property. While the Sandia Knolls Open Space consists of 18 acres, the John A. Milne and Gutierrez Canyon Open Space cover more than 700 acres combined, and both were some of the first plots of land to be designated as nature preserves by the city of Albuquerque. The preserves allow for hiking, horseback riding, with mountain biking trails that weave beside dry stream beds and their rocky canyons. In addition to nature enthusiasts, common inhabitants include deer, bears and mountain lions.
Well-rated primary schools and support programs at Manzano High
Local children may start their K-12 journeys at San Antonito STEM Magnet Elementary School and Roosevelt Middle School, both of which earn A-minus grades from Niche. They may then move forward to B-rated Manzano High School, where they can choose between more than 40 organizations, as well as 15 athletic teams, to join. The high school also offers several support programs to its students and their families. The School-Based Health Center provides little-to-no-cost medical services like immunizations, sports physicals, counseling and other services to students as a result of a partnership between the school, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and the New Mexico Department of Health. Manzano High’s Family Center and its Monty’s Closet program provide access to computers, printers, school supplies and an on-campus clothing bank.
Farm market lunches, barbecue and homemade desserts near San Antonito
Built into the rolling, wooded hills of the East Mountains, Sandia Knolls is limited when it comes to shopping and dining options. Residents can take Frost Road west toward the Lantern Ridge Farm Market in San Antonito. Visitors can enjoy sandwiches, burgers and salads for lunch, or stroll its market’s aisles for artisan products and local goods. The compound also hosts a farmers market from June through September, while those with a green thumb can buy plants year-round. Farther south along New Mexico state Route 14, Ribs BBQ serves up hearty plates of ribs, barbecue sandwiches and other messy entrees, along with house-made deserts like airy key lime pie and peach cobbler. Triangle Grocery—slightly south of San Antonito—is the closest grocery store.
Highway connections to rural recreation and downtown Albuquerque
Sandia Knolls sprawls across the space just northeast of New Mexico state Route 306, locally known as Frost Road. The thoroughfare passes through the communities of San Antonito and Sandia Park before it scales the heights of Sandia Crest as New Mexico state Route 536, or Sandia Crest Road. While Frost Road leads residents to outdoor recreation, Interstate 40 takes them to urban amenities. “It’s a quick drive to town, and there’s usually no traffic,” says Nikki Dauphin, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Legacy, referring to downtown Albuquerque, which is approximately 28 miles from the neighborhood via the interstate.
Photography Contributed By
Kody Martin
