Cedar Crest sits at the eastern base of the Sandia Mountains along the Turquoise Trail, a quiet high-desert community of 933 residents at 6,779 feet elevation that serves as a gateway to hiking, scenic drives, and mountain recreation near Albuquerque.
Cedar Crest is a census-designated place in Bernalillo County along the eastern base of the Sandia Mountains. It forms part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area and sits at 6,779 feet elevation with a 2020 population of 933.
Explore the Sandia Mountains via trails and the Sandia Crest Scenic Byway. Drive the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway or experience the Musical Highway on Route 66. Visit Tinkertown Museum and enjoy outdoor activities around the area including nearby growers' markets and fishing at Tingley Beach southern most pond.
Dine at Lazy Lizard Grill for local fare. The area offers mountain lodging with nearby restaurants and shops along Highway 14.
Cedar Crest lies east of Albuquerque via I-40 to NM 14. It is bordered by Tijeras to the south and connects north along the Turquoise Trail toward Santa Fe.
Cozy mountain lodging includes several B&Bs and a convenient camping & RV park in the evergreen forests of the Sandia Mountains.
The Sandia Mountains hold an archaeological continuum of human activities from the end of the last Ice Age through the present. Respect private lands and posted guidelines when exploring.
Summer brings warm days ideal for hiking and scenic drives, with cooler temperatures at higher elevations. The high-desert setting offers clear light year-round.
Cedar Crest sits at 6,779 feet.
Yes, it is located along the eastern base of the Sandia Mountains.
No upcoming events listed in Cedar Crest right now — see what's on statewide.
Ross Ward's 40-year folk-art fever dream on the Turquoise Trail: 22 rooms of hand-carved miniature circuses and animated Western towns, walled in more than 50,000 glass bottles. Seasonal and cash-friendly — pocket change for admission.
A grooved stretch of historic Route 66 (NM-333) east of Albuquerque near Tijeras where rumble strips play 'America the Beautiful' under your tires — drive the marked eastbound section at exactly 45 mph. One of only a few singing roads in the country; the grooves have worn with age, so the tune rewards a quiet car and good timing.
Just east of Albuquerque, the most-visited mountains in New Mexico — hiking, biking, horseback riding, and winter sports across all seasons.
A village market in the Corrales bosque with produce, eggs, honey, baked goods, and plants from local growers.
Albuquerque's downtown market in Robinson Park, blending local growers with live music, prepared food, and makers. A SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks market.
Southern most pond, stocked with catchable rainbows Special Trout Water designation: Red chile. Regulations: Catch-and-release only, artificial fly or lure with single barbless hook.
NM-14 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe through Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos — coal and turquoise mining towns turned galleries, saloons, and film sets — with the Sandia Crest spur (NM-536) climbing to 10,678 feet for a hundred-mile view.
Every fact below was independently verified against the cited source.