Drive east on I-40 and take the Carnuel exit. Drive 1.5 miles east on Old Route 66. There is a brown sign marking the turnoff from Route 66 into the Monticello subdivision. Turn into the subdivision and follow Monticello Drive to Alegre Drive Northeast. Turn left, and follow the road until you can turn right at the intersection of Alegre and Sempre Verde. Follow signs to the Three Gun Spring/Tres Pistoles Trailhead parking area.

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.

Three Gun Trailhead gives access to the Three Gun Spring/Tres Pistoles Trail 194. It is 4.0 miles long and ends at Embudito Trail 192. Hawk Watch Trail 215 splits off toward the east, from Three Gun Trail, about 0.5 miles into your hike.