A drive on South 217 northwardly can be very enjoyable, over nice rolling hills, with large panoramic views of the South Mountain, the Sandia Mountains, and the Santa Fe Mountains as you drive over some of the hills. 

South 217 is one of main areas of the East Mountains. The East Mountains is called the "Green side of the mountains" because the Sandias act as a weather break and the East Mountains are greener- more vegetation and trees. The Real Estate and Relocation market is increasing in the East Mountains as more and more people discover its country living within an easy drive of Albuquerque.  This area tends towards flat plains, with a mixture of developments and rural areas.

Homes are situated on anywhere from a city lot to country acreage. It is not an unusual sight to see people riding their horses along the roadways.  In addition to plenty of single family homes, there is also plenty of land at reasonable prices to build your own home.  South 217 is most noted for its scenery, with the majestic Sandias and Manzano Mountains, lifting to their ultimate heights of approximately 10,000 feet.