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TheManzano Mountains are a smallmountain range in the central part of theU.S. state ofNew Mexico. They are oriented north–south and are 30 miles long.[1] The center of the range lies due east of the town of Belen. The name "Manzano" isSpanish for "apple tree"; the mountains were named for apple orchards planted at the nearby town ofManzano.[2]
The high point of the Manzano Mountains isManzano Peak (10,098 ft; 3,078 m), at the southern end of the range. Other notable peaks include flat-toppedBosque Peak (9,610 ft; 2,930 m), near the center of the range, and the twin pyramids of Mosca Peak (9,509 ft; 2,898 m) and Guadalupe Peak (9,450 ft; 2,880 m). The last two are the most easily recognized peaks in the range as viewed from Albuquerque. Manzano Peak and Guadalupe Peak are the most dramatic in the range in terms of local relief and steepness; however, there are few cliffs in the range, as compared to the more dramaticSandia Mountains.
Manzano Peak and the crest and western slopes of the range are included in theManzano Wilderness which comprises 36,875 acres (14,923 ha) and is 17 miles (27 km) north to south and 3–5 miles (4.8–8.0 km) east-west. There are 64 miles (103 km) of trails in the wilderness, including the 22 mile Crest Trail which traverses the highest part of the range.[3]
The Manzano Mountains are the southern part of a larger geologic unit known as theSandia–Manzano Mountains, which are an east-tiltedfault-block range forming part of the eastern edge of theAlbuquerque Basin in theRio Grande rift. They are separated from the Sandia Mountains to the north by the "Manzanitas Mountains" andTijeras Canyon. Both the Manzano and Sandia mountains are capped byPaleozoicsedimentary rocks, withProterozoicmetamorphic rocks making up most of the mountains' steep western faces. These include theSevilleta metarhyolite, with an age of 1665 ±16 Ma.[4]
The southern part of the Manzano Mountains is in the Mountainair Ranger District while much of the northern part is in the Sandia Ranger District of theCibola National Forest.
On September 14, 1977, a USAF Boeing EC-135 crashed into the Manzano Mountains just after takeoff from theAlbuquerque International Sunport, killing all 20 people on board.[5]
Compared to the Sandias, the Manzanos are much less visited, lacking the paved road andtramway access of their northern neighbors. However, many recreational sites exist, with opportunities for picnicking, camping, mountain biking, and hiking. The most well-known is Fourth of July Canyon which is noted for itsmaple trees, especially when they change color in the Fall.[6][7]
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