TWA Plane Crash Hiking Trail

I hiked the TWA trail for the first time yesterday, and it was a killer! From the Elena Gallegos picnic area, it’s about 5 miles round trip with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. The hike winds you through Domingo Baca Canyon in the Sandias and ends up right below The Tram line at the crash sight of TWA flight 260, which crashed on February 19, 1955. The wreckage is sad to see and is scattered throughout the area. You can also continue up the «trail» past the crash sight to converge with the La Luz trail to The Tram at Sandia Peak. We did not do that though, as I was (a) exhausted and (b) heard that it’s easy to get lost on that path as it’s really steep and overgrown. If you do make it up that high, you can ride The Tram down vs. hiking down the mountain.
Tips:
— Bring enough water! I had two bottles and could’ve used two more, especially during the climb. During the final mile, I kind of wanted to die. I could tell the air got thin and my muscles were screaming! I live in Albuquerque and feel like I’m pretty acclimated to the altitude, but this hike humbled me. I don’t recommend it for people that are visiting from sea-​level.
— Sunglasses/​hat/​sunscreen. The lower half of the trail is in the open desert, and it was hot even in October. Once you get higher up, there is a lot of tree cover and shade, and it was plum chilly at the top. Plus you’ll be drenched in sweat, so that makes it cold when you stop moving. Layers are key!
— Comfortable hiking shoes. The trail goes over a lot of loose rocks, sand, and slick boulders so it’s nice to have shoes with some traction. My feet and legs were so dead by the end but at least I didn’t have any blisters. This is definitely not a hike to try out your new boots on — be sure to wear something you’ve already broken in! Hiking poles are a good idea as well.
There were also a number of obstacles on the trail, from boulders to climb up/​slide down and fallen trees. There were a couple of times that instincts kicked in and I was legit scared, but I’m afraid of heights… and falling off a mountain. My palms are kind of sweating just thinking about it. Point being, not for beginners or the faint of heart.
There were a number of dogs on the path too, so feel free to bring your pup on a leash. The dogs did better than I did! All in all, you’ll enjoy great views of the city and feel like a bad ass when you finish. Definitely worth seeing, just be prepared!