From Albuquerque, drive east on I-40 to Exit 175 toward Cedar Crest and N-14. Follow N-14 aka the Turquoise Trail for approximately 6.5 miles, to NM-536 (Sandia Crest Scenic Byway). Turn left onto NM-536 and follow it for about 5.5 miles to the Tree Spring parking lot, on your left.

Cibola National Forest covers more than 1.6 million acres and includes mountains, grasslands, wilderness, and forests. The name Cibola comes from the Zuni word for their tribal lands, which the Spanish later translated as "buffalo". The forest is home black bears, cougars, elk, and pronghorn. Cibola National Forest offers many recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and skiing. It also has cultural and historical significance, as it contains ancient Native American sites and historic trails.

The National Forest has four ranger districts: Sandia, Mountainair, Magdalena, and Mount Taylor. In addition, the Cibola has four wilderness areas: Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington, and Apache Kid.

Tree Spring Trailhead leads directly to Tree Spring Trail. The trail is 2.0 miles long one way. It passes by the junction of Oso Corredor Trail 265 and ends at the intersection of South Crest Trail 130; Tree Spring Trail 147 and 10K Trail 200.