Bernalillo in Sandoval County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Las Montañas Sandía
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The Sandia Mountains
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
1. Las Montañas Sandía / The Sandia Mountains Marker
[Español:]
La sierra de las Sandías es un sitio geográfico del valle del Río Grande central que está presente en la mitología y la historia de muchas culturas. Los pueblos indígenas Tewa la nombraron Oekuu P'in (la Montaña de la Tortuga) porque parece una tortuga cuando se ve desde el norte.
Se cree que los españoles dieron el nombre sandía a la sierra por el color rosado de los picos al atardecer. En cambio, la gente del Pueblo de Sandía cree que los españoles les dieron este nombre porque cultivaban calabazas que parecían sandías. Ahora el nombre refiere a las montañas y el Pueblo.
The Sandia Mountains are a geographic feature of the middle Rio Grande Valley that are featured in the mythology and history of many cultures. Indigenous Tewa peoples named it Oekuu P'in (Turtle Mountain), because it resembles a turtle when viewed from the north.
In Spanish, Sandia means watermelon. It is believed that the Spanish named the mountains in honor of the pinkish color of the peaks at sunset. Conversely, the people of Sandia Pueblo believe that the Spanish gave them this name because they farmed squash which looked like watermelon. It is now used to refer to both the mountain range and the Pueblo.
Erected by Coronado
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 35° 19.818′ N, 106° 33.337′ W. Marker is in Bernalillo, New Mexico, in Sandoval County. It is on Kuaua Road half a mile east of U.S. 550. The marker is located in the Kuaua Ruins (Coronado Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 485 Kuaua Rd, Bernalillo NM 87004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the San Juan Basin and in Greater Albuquerque. It is also in the American Southwest and at the Four Corners. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: El Bosque / The Bosque (here, next to this marker); Rio Grande River (a
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
2. Las Montañas Sandía / The Sandia Mountains Marker (right side)
More about this marker. There is a small fee to visit the Kuaua Ruins (Coronado Historic Site).
Also see . . . Coronado Historic Site. New Mexico Historic Sites
Coronado Historic Site and the ancient Kuaua Pueblo are located just minutes north of Albuquerque (off of I-25, Exit 242) in Bernalillo. In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 500 soldiers and 2,000 Indigenous allies from New Spain—entered the Rio Grande valley somewhere near this site. Coronado was searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.(Submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
3. The view of the markers along the Rio Grande River
Credits. This page was last revised on March 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 197 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
