Appreciating Sacred Ground on Tomé Hill

Sculptures at the Tomé Hill Parking lot

Once more, I've decided to venture out to Los Lunas, a short drive south of Albuquerque, to hike one of the many lesser appreciated areas in this part of the Rio Grande Valley...Tomé Hill. Though dwarfed in size by the neighboring Los Lunas Hill to the west, and the Manzano Mountains to the east, Tomé Hill is sizable enough to where you can still see it from the Sandias on a clear day. It provides a short, but exhausting hike if you take the most well traveled trail on the south face.

Looking up at the hill itself

To get to Tomé Hill, travel south from Albuquerque on I-25, exiting at Los Lunas. You'll take a left and travel east on Main Street all the way to NM 47. At this stop light you will turn south onto NM47, heading towards east Belen and the small community of Tomé. From here there are a number of ways to get to the hill, the most straightforward being turning onto Tomé Hill Road, a sand road that takes you to the parking lot below the hill. You can park in the parking lot south of the sculptures, or on the gravel lot directly next to the main road.

Misleading perception of depth leads one to believe it's a moderate stroll

For such a small formation, Tomé Hill has a lot of traffic and a lot of history. Sitting atop the hill are three large crosses and a shrine, which was a result of the action of a man named Edwin Berry, a Tomé resident who built and hauled the crosses by himself to the top after his return from WWII. In centuries prior, there had been a tradition of hauling crosses up to the top on Good Friday, reenacting the passion of the Christ, but Berry was the one to permanently place the crosses and shrine, reviving the lost tradition.

Any color like this is appreciated in the desert!

To hike up this volcanic hill [don't worry, it's no longer active ;)], you can take the main, short, steep route up the south face or the longer but less steep trail from the bottom on the west side. There are various other spur trails as well, one going all around the lower part of the hill along the east and north side.

The Manzano Mts from about halfway up the south trail

Desert on the left, farm land on the right

This hill is millipede heaven, these things are everywhere!

The trail up the south side starts out relatively easy, but quickly starts to gain some ground as it turns to the northeast. From here on the trail is consistently steep the rest of the way to the top, and very rocky as well, with tons of rock covering the entire length of the trail. Just make sure to watch your footing! The higher up you go, the better the views get of the surrounding desert fields, the farmland right next to the hill, and even such far off peaks as Ladrones.

The crosses as you approach them

As you near the top, the crosses come into view. There are three permanently fixed crosses, but there are many more smaller ones that have been brought up over the years. At the shrine you can find lots of religious candles, jewelry, and even memorials to lost loved ones. Even if you are not religious, it can be rather humbling to be in a place of such significance.

Two smaller crosses, placed up here recently

Something unique about the peak of this hill, is there are almost always dozens of butterflies flying around when it is warm. There's nothing special about the vegetation up here, but they always seem to hang around. Sometimes there is an unwelcoming swarm of flies that hang around as well, though not too frequently.

Gorgeous views under the morning sun

Looking to the western trail and Los Lunas Hill off in the distance

Depending on their purpose for being here, some people stick around to worship, some to meditate, some head off on the western trail for a loop, and some go back down the way they came. Regardless of the purpose, the trail off west is definitely the more moderate, knee-friendly way back down. There are wonderful views of Los Lunas Hill, Ladrone, and the Sandias as you make your way down.

Another millipede friend :)

Stone artwork along the trail down

It's a roughly half mile hike from the peak to the bottom on the western trail, and I would guess another half mile back to the car from the western trailhead. However, it's a pleasant walk along the sand road back to the car from here, traveling alongside an irrigation ditch and farmland.

Grasshopper hiding in the vegetation along the ditch

This hill has a lot of meaning to a lot of the local residents, and out of town visitors. It is a sacred place to many, and just a beautiful outing to some. On, and the days prior to, Good Friday, people flood the roads in and around Tomé and Los Lunas, making their pilgrimage to the hill, so always be extra careful while driving through the area at this time. It's a very cool spot just sitting there, making a great, quick afternoon or morning hike for those in Los Lunas, or a short day trip for those in Albuquerque (roughly 35-40 minutes driving from ABQ). But as always, don't just take my word for it...get out and find out for yourself!

Western trail terminus