FY26 Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant Recipients

Congratulations to the recent FY26 Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant recipients! The New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division is proud to support outdoor infrastructure projects that enhance outdoor recreation opportunities in communities across the state.

CAPPED, Inc. (Center Advancing Primary Prevention through Enlightened Decisions), Otero – $99,999:
Will complete their labyrinth project by adding outdoor classrooms, informational kiosks, bathroom facilities, and a parking lot.

City of Lordsburg, Hidalgo – $69,214:
Will install public restrooms with showers at Veterans Park to better serve hikers, campers, and outdoor visitors.

City of Rio Rancho, Sandoval – $50,807:
Will re-design a 3.3-mile ADA-compliant asphalt trail along the Encantado Channel.

City of Sunland Park, Doña Ana – $499,798:
Will complete the phase two of their Rio Grande Trail project, a 0.52-mile multi-purpose concrete path that connects to existing trails and key points within the city.

Continental Divide Trail Coalition, (CDTC) Cibola – $333,174:
In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and community partners, CDTC will complete more than 30 high-priority trail maintenance and stewardship projects and will launch its first Professional Trail Crew and expand volunteer partnerships to improve safety, accessibility, and sustainability of the CDT.

Friends of Sugarite Canyon State Park, Colfax – $26,400:
Will construct a multi-use trail around Lake Maloya to expand and connect the existing trail system, increasing accessibility and safety for visitors.

Grant County, NM, Grant – $352,908:
In partnership with the Gila National Forest and the National Forest Foundation, they will upgrade the Forks Campground to enhance visitor experience with improved erosion control, campsite delineation, fire rings, picnic tables, vault toilets, and day-use picnic pavilions.

Guadalupe County, Guadalupe – $499,999:
Guadalupe County will collaborate with community members to build a world-class mountain bike jump and skills park, making Santa Rosa, NM a mountain biking destination.

McCurdy Ministries, Rio Arriba – $99,000:
Will restore and revitalize the acequia and improve public green spaces on its historic campus to provide safe, sustainable areas for walking, gathering, and outdoor activity.

National Indian Youth Leadership Development Project, Rio Arriba – $85,534:
In partnership with the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, they’ll hire Indigenous youth to restore and maintain the existing trail system surrounding Fishing Lake to improve recreational access and create a cleaner, safer outdoor environment.

Navajo Townsite Community Development Corporation, McKinley – $33,333:
Will add a kids’ bike pump track to support youth skill-building in a safe environment.

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance (New Mexico Wild), Catron – $99,891:
Will perform trail maintenance on the Gila National Forest to restore access to stream reaches prioritized for Gila trout recovery and reopen access to the Black Range in the Black Fire burn scar, which will enhance public access, improve watershed health, and reduce erosion.

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Taos – $500,000:
Will expand its Individual Placement Program, and place 16 young adults in apprenticeships with the Carson, Santa Fe, Gila, and Cibola National Forests and the Valles Caldera National Preserve to support trail work, fire recovery, cultural protection, and visitor engagement.

Spanish Colonial Arts Society Inc, Santa Fe – $89,838:
Will install interpretive signage in their sculpture garden to educate visitors about botany, ethnobotany, and cultural heritage unique to Northern New Mexico.

Taos Center for the Arts, Taos – $99,214:
Will design a multi-year plan to revitalize its outdoor campus that prioritizes accessible, inclusive, aesthetically appealing spaces for art, recreation, and relaxation while maintaining the historic character of the campus.

The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP), McKinley – $99,999:
Will renovate nine trailheads, adding cultural and educational signage from a Zuni perspective, and train a youth trail crew to strengthen connections to the Zuni Pueblo, preserve cultural heritage, and support community wellness.

Town of Red River, Taos – $99,999:
In partnership with local motorized user groups, they will coordinate seasonal maintenance and safety improvements like grading, culvert repair, debris clearing, and widening hazardous sections on key trails, including Goose Lake Trail, Greenie Peak Trail Loop, Old Red River Pass, and Pioneer Creek Road.

Village of Hatch, Doña Ana – $99,999: Will build a campground in Hatch Valley Park, serving Rio Grande Trail through-hikers and overnight visitors with shelters, tent pads, EV charging, landscaping, and signage.