New Mexico putting $1.9 million towards recreation upgrades

* Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to note the value of grants.

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico’s Economic Development Department (EDD) has announced the latest round of funding for outdoor recreation projects. The purpose of the funding is to expand access to the outdoors and boost the recreation-based economy.

“We are thrilled to continue fostering the growth and accessibility of New Mexico’s beautiful landscapes through the Trails+ Grant,” the director of the Outdoor Recreation Division of EDD, Karina Armijo, said in a press release. “This funding is not just an investment in infrastructure; it’s an investment in community well-being, economic development, and the preservation of our natural heritage for future generations. By enhancing our outdoor spaces, we ensure that every New Mexican has the opportunity to connect with nature and experience the countless benefits of outdoor recreation.”

The latest grants, with descriptions from EDD, are:

Adaptive Sports Program New Mexico , $99,000, Santa Fe Ski Basin: The Adaptive Sports Program New Mexico facility will serve as a fully accessible welcome center for individuals with disabilities participating in adaptive skiing and snowboarding at Ski Santa Fe. It will provide a staging area for the numerous athletes and volunteers involved in ASPNM’s winter sports programs, accommodating hundreds of participants throughout the season. Additionally, the facility will house ASPNM’s extensive inventory of adaptive equipment, ranging from sit skis and ski bikes to outriggers and various other tools, ensuring accessibility for all individuals, regardless of ability, on the slopes.

Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association , $99,000, Sandia Crest: Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association (AMBA) in collaboration with the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest, will build upon and improve the existing downhill designated mountain biking trails on the east side of the Sandia Crest. This scalable project was scoped and approved in the USFS’s April 2021 Sandia Trails Improvement Project but requires supporting labor and funding from the biking community and collaborating organizations. The project will use a hybrid trail development approach, pairing machine and hand-built trail construction strategies to create unrivaled progressive features, while maintaining the character and experience of the existing trails

Cavern City Trail Keepers , $61,000, Carlsbad: Cavern City Trail Keepers will assist the local BLM office with the provision and installation of 11 cattleguards and equestrian gates along the developing La Cueva Ridge Tail (LCRT). The LCRT will run from the City of Carlsbad to Whites City, at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, connecting the La Cueva Non-Motorized Trail System to the Guadalupe Ridge National Recreation Trail to create, maintain, and preserve a diversity of trail experiences for mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts in the Carlsbad, NM area.

City of Lovington , $500,000, Lovington: Lovington’s Chaparral Park and Lake provides outdoor recreation to numerous individuals and groups in the community. The funded project will replace the aging shelter with a larger structure, ensuring safer and more pleasing outdoor amphitheater and park amenities. The city seeks to enhance the communal experience and foster a sense of pride and belonging among residents.

City of Moriarty , $99,999, Moriarty: Moriarty will construct a walking trail around the perimeter of its City Park. With access to sporting facilities, proximity to the community center and library, and central location within the city, a walking trail incorporated into the park will provide many benefits to the city and its residents.

Collins Lake Autism Center , $60,000, Mora County: Collins Lake Autism Center is diversifying its programming through a partnership with Mora Public Schools to provide outdoor environmental education. This grant supports the installation of a classroom yurt and related facilities to meet the growing need for environmental education programs.

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions , $99,999, Thoreau: This project will increase year-round access to Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions’ outdoor education programs for young people of all backgrounds by adding a heated bunkhouse space to an existing building on CGE’s property in McKinley County.

Las Placitas Association , $99,950, Sandoval County: Las Placitas Association will provide the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rio Puerco Field Office an Environmental Assessment and Recreation Area Management Plan in support of trail systems, associated facilities, defining habitat connectivity, and the designation of a Developed Recreation Area on BLM land, nicknamed “Buffalo Tract,” that lies north of the Village of Placitas. The multi-use trail system will serve local residents and the broader regional recreational community.

Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project , $25,000, Rio Arriba County: The grant will provide funding for needed maintenance of severely eroded trails at the Wells Preserve. The maintenance and upkeep of trails will improve safety and establish better access for visitors, K-12 schools, and local Tribes primarily from Rio Arriba County. The project will better showcase the diversity of archaeological features and highlight the histories of the region.

Santa Fe Botanical Garden, $99,000, Santa Fe: Santa Fe Botanical Gardens (SFBG) pathways need renovation for continued safe and accessible passage for people of all abilities. The original stabilized crusher fines paths are aesthetically suited to the naturalistic gardens and more ecologically sound than pavement. However, this surface is subject to degradation over time and needs renewal. SFBG will also develop a new Children’s Discovery Garden in need of additional paths.

Santa Fe County , $500,000, Lamy: The awarded project will construct Segment 6 of the Santa Fe Rail Trail, an 18-mile multimodal trail system that will connect the Santa Fe Railyard to the historic Lamy Train Station. Segment 6 extends 1.6 miles from Spur Ranch Road to a new trailhead at U.S. Highway 285. The trail will be ADA-compliant, 8 feet wide, and soft-surfaced. Segment 6 is the penultimate section needed to complete the 18-mile regional trail.

Taos Mainstreet , $99,999, Town of Taos: Taos MainStreet (TMS) will replace existing vehicular and pedestrian signage to make downtown Taos more navigable, friendly, and prosperous. The wayfinding project is a component of TMS’s Walkability Initiative stemming from downtown Taos business community members voicing their concern that visitors have difficulty navigating downtown. The project team consists of TMS, Groundwork Studio, Leighton Moon Design Services, and the Town of Taos. The goal is to create signs that direct visitors and Taoseños to historic destinations and businesses, encourage walking and biking, and develop a wayfinding system that is simple, predictable, inclusive, and contributes to economic development.

Trout Unlimited , $99,000, Taos: The La Junta Trail in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument has been closed since 2018. The BLM has identified the trail’s reopening as their top priority for improvements in the monument in the coming years. This project will finalize the design of the trail’s reconstruction. By facilitating the process of implementing repairs, post BLM feasibility study, and with a completed design, the reopening of an iconic northern New Mexico trail will be the final step.

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