Albuquerque International Airport Bicycle Access

A reader and fellow bikeblogger, Larry Lagarde of New Orleans inquired about bike trail access from Albuquerque International Airport. He was specifically asking about how to get from the airport to the University of New Mexico


Airport exit

I never really gave much thought to getting to and from the airport by bicycle. As it turns out, the airport is very accessable by bicycle.

When leaving the terminal, you can take the Girard blvd exit instead of the main exit to Sunport and Yale blvds. Most of the airport automobile traffic uses the main exit. Girard blvd is rarely used. In fact, the Girard blvd lettering on the airport exit sign is smaller than the other lettering.


Girard blvd

Girard blvd then crosses Gibson blvd after about a half a mile. There is an actual bike trail on the west side of Girard as you leave the airport but riding on the street is safe. As it passes the golf course it becomes a one lane road through a residential area.


Ernie Pyle Library on Girard

The route is only about 2 1/2 miles and a half hour from the terminal to the intersection of Girard and Central avenue near the University of New Mexico. You can access other trails from UNM such as the Paseo del Norte trail on the other side of the campus.


Central and Girard (UNM)

Larry was interested in an easy route from the airport because he runs a blog where he sells folding bicycles. He has done some traveling where he flies into a city with his bicycle, unfolds it at baggage claim and rides the city trails. He is also collecting information about city bike trails across the country on his blog, RideTHISbike.

If you do fly into Albuquerque and then ride the bike trails, please remember to take it easy at first. You may struggle if you are coming from sea level to the high altitude air of the Middle Rio Grande valley.

-Brian