Once you step on the Domingo Baca Trail you have officially left the Open Space and have entered Wilderness Area. That all said, my son, who has just finished middle school and is an active Boy Scout (Troop 142) and I decided to hike to the wreckage site via the Domingo Baca trail which we did last October (the Monday after the '09 Balloon Fiesta had ended). This makes for one of the most unique Albuquerque hiking trails. The Domingo Baca Trail is a fantastic, challenging hike located close to Sandia Park, ... you can track down the wreckage of the 1955 TWA plane crash that occurred there. It was a pretty tough hike, however, the fall weather helped. About 12 minutes later you will end up on trail 230. This hike, to the crash site of a TWA airliner, is one of the ‘go to’ hikes in the Sandia Mountains. Getting to the site is challenging and steep with a lot of loose soil and rocks, but it is definitely possible. The trail leading from Elena Gallegos Picnic Area up through Domingo Baca Canyon is the first backpacking trip I ever took my scouts on, and it is a continual favorite. Start on trail 140 (Pino Trail) Take this trail Northeast to trail 342. Domingo Baca Trail / TWA Flight 260 crash site Hiking Trail, Sandia Heights, New Mexico. From the parking lot, take trail 230A up to trail 230, and trail 230 will lead you to the gate where the Domingo Baca trailhead is located. That all said, my son, who has just finished middle school and is an active Boy Scout (Troop 142) and I decided to hike to the wreckage site via the Domingo Baca trail which we did last October (the Monday after the '09 Balloon Fiesta had ended). The Domingo Baca Trail terrain is primarily open desert with no tree coverage. A steep climb into the Sandia Mountains leads to the 1955 crash site of a TWA airliner. It begins in Albuquerque’s Elena Gallegos Open Space – from the parking lot head towards the Domingo Baca Trail via trails 141, 342, 230a, and 230. SAR 1 set out from the upper tram house in attempt to gain access to the La Luz trail. From the Elena Gallegos picnic area, it's about 5 miles round trip with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. After about 2 minutes on trail 230 you will enter the Sandia Wilderness area through a pass-through in the fence. ... there is a wonderful bit of history and physical challenge in the hike up to the site of a 1955 TWA plane crash. The second group, 2 adult men, was lost near the TWA plane crash site, possibly in Domingo Baca Canyon. To locate trail 230A at the parking area, see the first four images in the slideshow, below. 2 reviews of TWA Plane Crash Hiking Trail "I hiked the TWA trail for the first time yesterday, and it was a killer! Location: The Domingo Baca trail is within Cibola National Forest. The trail passes through the Sandia Mountain Wilderness and the debris field of the doomed airplane, permitting you to explore the wreckage. Go left onto trail 342. The trailhead is located at Elena Gallegos Picnic Area. APD SAR gathered information, developed a plan of action and deployed two separate teams based on the life-threatening circumstances for both parties. 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. Follow signs to stay on the Domingo Baca trail. Trail 230A then intersects with the Domingo Baca Trail. The 3.5-mile trail to the site is a moderate-to-strenuous climb through the Cibola National Forest. It was a pretty tough hike, however, the fall weather helped. ... take the Domingo Baca/TWA Canyon trail up the mountain. Trail 342 heading northeast will intersect with Trail 230A. The third and fourth image show the location of trail 230A.