Ponderosa Winery connects the town’s name with a specific wine offering: it is located on the south side of the Jemez Mountains and offers wine tastings and winery tours.
Wine and Landscape
The winery is known for its Rieslings and Pinot Noir. Since operating details vary by season, you should check them before your arrival. Visitors can also take a bottle with them and enjoy it at nearby lodging.
Routes, River and Forest
The Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway runs alongside the Jemez River for several miles. Common stopping points offer opportunities for picnicking, camping and fishing; conditions at individual stops may vary. From the byway, a 3-mile spur heads east on NM 290 to Ponderosa.
North of Ponderosa is Paliza Group Campground, surrounded by ponderosa pines and offering views of mesas. From Ponderosa, it can be reached by traveling 5 miles northeast on Forest Road 10. The access road is unpaved, and conditions may vary. The camping season generally runs from around mid-May to October. The East Fork of the Jemez National Wild and Scenic River is also accessible near the campground; access conditions may vary.
Jemez Culture and Historic Sites
The Red Rock Trails at Walatowa offer a 1.5-mile self-guided hike. Hiking permits are available at the Walatowa Visitor Center. Guided tours about Jemez history and culture are available for large groups by advance reservation. The landscape itself also has a cultural connection: its reddish hue influenced the color of traditional Jemez Pueblo pottery.
The Boletsakwa ruins date from between 1350 and 1650. The Gilman Tunnels have a different historical connection: they were tunnels on the former Santa Fe Northwestern Railway and were converted into a road through a canyon. Check road conditions before driving there.
Hiking Trails and Bouldering
The basalt rock formation Battleship Rock is the access point for the trails to Hidden Falls and McCauley Springs; trail and access conditions may vary. Bouldering in Ponderosa offers a different focus: the rock is volcanic tuff, and the climbing features range from thin-wall problems to steep, overhanging routes. These include both lowball and highball climbing.
The Upper Deck climbing area has many boulders rated from V0 to V14. The approach takes about 15 minutes; this estimate may vary depending on route conditions.
Getting to Ponderosa
Access to Ponderosa is via Highway 4 and then Highway 290, also called Forest Road 10. Another route reference is the 3-mile spur heading east on NM 290 from the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. Road conditions can change; check them before driving.
Discover more destinations: Rio Rancho, Corrales, Placitas, Algodones, Santa Ana Pueblo, Bernalillo.
Return to the main travel overview: Sandoval.
