Shame on me. Shame shame shame. The Sandia Man Cave is a stellar example of an adventure I should’ve taken 16 years ago, when I first arrived in New Mexico. It’s just bone-head stupid I haven’t checked the place out yet, it’s in my backyard, about 25 minutes from home, and unforgettable. But that’s how it always goes, right? Like, we have ruins in this state which date back tens of thousands of years, and I’m planning my next trip to what… the world’s largest hot dog sculpture, or something. The hike is about a half mile of a gradual climb, easy for toddlers and probably manageable by the elderly set, so don’t expect a workout. Do anticipate some jaw dropping views of a canyon which frames Placitas and, further, the Jemez mountains. It’s cool and shaded up there, a great summer stroll. I kept obsessing about the explorer/scientist who«discovered»(for the white folks) this place in 1939; he must’ve been totally blown away. And to find various artifacts like mastodon bones in the cave itself… That dude probably thought he’d struck gold. It is golden. A cave accessible via winding metal staircase, and generally difficult to get through much more than the mouth without a flashlight and a tiny waist line. Still, it’s exciting to imagine someone living there, surviving in another time, slaying giant predators with rocks and whatever. You can feel the history. Unfortunately, like most of these gems around Albuquerque, you’re also in the midst of the modern world. Half of the ceiling in the cave is spray painted. There were cigarette butts and soda cans on the floor. Some idiots tagged the hand rails; what are these people thinking? That one of their homeboys is gonna decide to take a hike some afternoon and – Oh, hey look, Cuzzin was here! I don’t think so. I’m totally mystified. What a sad shame. Anyway, GO check this place out. The world’s biggest hot dog sculpture can wait.
Chuck B.
Place rating: 3 Wilmington, NC
Pro Spelunkers would be bored with this but the average Boy Scout or adventurous type might find this interesting. The portion of the cave open to the public is limited but if you feel adventurous try going over the barrier and crawling down into the cave. That’s right you will have to crawl in areas and I reached an area that was about a foot high and that was my limit. Several Boy Scots that were following me decided to keep going and they crawled further into the cave. Somehow crawling into a dark space that was barely wider than me just did not seem appealing, so I guess I fail the spelunker test, oh well. Bring a flash light and expect to get very dirty. It is open only during daylight hours — there is a mesh cage in front of it. My biggest disappoint was the graphitti(no its not art despite what New Yorkers say) near the entrance, other than that crawl at your own risk, this is not for the faint of heart.
