Oak Yucca And Locust Group Picnic Sites

About

This facility is a group day-use picnic area, not a campground. Located in the Manzanita Mountains of Cibola National Forest at 7,660 feet, it consists of three reservable picnic sites surrounded by ponderosa pine, oak, pinon, and juniper forest. Oak Picnic Site is the largest, accommodating up to 400 people with an expansive paved area. Locust and Yucca sites feature shelters replicated from 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps designs, holding 125 and 60 people respectively. The sites border four communal playing fields and connect to Oak Flat Trailhead, which accesses a multi-use trail system for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and dirt bikes. All surfaces are paved and ADA accessible. Amenities include vault toilets, bear-proof trash receptacles, picnic tables, and grills. No potable water is available on site. Reservations are available through Recreation.gov for Friday through Sunday use. Day-use fees are $5; group reservations range from $75-$275 depending on the site. No overnight camping is authorized at this location.

Directions

From Albuquerque, drive east on I-40 to Exit 175 toward Tijeras. Drive south for 9 miles on State Road 337 (James McGrane Memorial Highway). Look for the brown Oak Flat - Cibola National Forest sign on the east side of the road. Turn east onto Oak Flat Road and follow it for 0.39 miles to the entrance on the left.