Huffing And Puffing Up The Ojo Del Orno Route

There's a beautiful side of the Sandias with a character all its own. Not quite as shaded and green as much of the east side, and not nearly as rocky, dry, and open as the west side. More of a combination of many of the greater aspects of both sides can be found here, the area surrounding the quiet community of Placitas.
To reach this trailhead, take I-25 to exit 242 and head east toward Placitas. You'll travel roughly 5 miles down this road before reaching the Tunnel Springs/FR 231 road. Take a right onto this road and follow it for roughly two miles to the trailhead.

The view as you head toward Ojo Del Orno Canyon

With many rolling hills bearing rocky canyons, big limestone cliffs (some even with caves), seas of juniper, and soaring hawks that almost look like they're waiting for you to pass out, the hiking around Placitas is truly beautiful (and much less "crowded" than many of the east/west side trails).
This particular hike starts next to Agua Sarca Canyon (a post for another time) and the northern terminus for the Crest Trail, which is how I decided to descend this one. You begin on the Crest Trail, heading south until the trail turns east, heading away from the canyon you're facing. Follow the rough path you see heading into the canyon to get started on Ojo Del Orno. This trail has a short length of only 0.8 miles, but it makes you work for every step. It starts out deceivingly easy before it starts cutting up...and up....and up.

Distant mesas visible through thickening juniper

Albeit steep, this is a really beautiful trail that is almost guaranteed isolation, with hardly any vehicles at the trailhead. As you ascend, there are large limestone cliffs rising above to the east, home to what appeared to be peregrine falcons (though I could be mistaken). The trail continues up at a steep grade, which must be navigated carefully as there is a lot of loose rock along its entire length. A little over halfway up, the tree cover becomes a little thicker, providing spectacular views of the mesas and mountains to the north as you get to peek through every so often.

Amphitheater-esque limestone cliffs

I consider myself to be in pretty good physical shape, and I was hufffing and puffing up many stretches of this short trail, having to stop for breaks occasionally just to catch my breath. However, the solitude, the views up north, and the general feel of this area make the struggle more than worth it! This is a hike I'll likely be doing again for sure. And when you reach the top, you are deposited on the extreme northern end of the Crest Trail, which you can take east for a broad 3.3 mile hike around back to your car. My knees aren't so good going down really steep stuff, so I prefer the broad loop back to the car. Plus, you pass right up against some beautiful limestone cliffs (perfect for climbing I'd say), views of San Pedro Mountains out east, and if it's clear enough, you can get a decent view of Cabezon out west.

Unknown plant found all along the crest trail

Perfect limestone bands that the trail passes right under

The broad loop back is really pleasant, meandering around a lot of drainage areas, giving you great views of sprawling green, and eventually opening up to give you some views of the beginning of Las Huertas Canyon. It is a pretty open area, so it's best on a cool day or when it's cooler during the hot days like morning or evening. The loop comes back around northeast of the parking area, passing the Tunnel Springs climbing area about 10 minutes before reaching the end.

Tunnel Springs cliffs coming into view

While some do hike this area, there are far fewer to be found than many of the other areas on the mountain. So, if quiet and solitude is your thing, definitely get out and do this ~4.1 mile loop!