Enchanted Circle Trails Association
Grants Awarded
The Enchanted Circle Trails Association's Adopt-a-Trail program empowers community members to actively maintain public trails, addressing the needs of under-resourced land management agencies. By engaging volunteers from local businesses and civic groups in trail upkeep, the program enhances outdoor access for all users while fostering skills and collaboration through training and stewardship events.
The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program allows young people from financially restricted backgrounds to engage with local public lands through outdoor service, enhancing their life skills and providing paid summer employment. Participants undertake forest trail maintenance under professional supervision, earning certifications for technical abilities and core life skills. Operated by the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) in collaboration with ECTA, the program fosters community benefits by supporting equitable access to well-maintained public lands and promoting future career opportunities in related fields.
The project "Expanding Trail Stewardship and Access in the Enchanted Circle" works towards maintaining public trails, progressing trail development projects, and enhancing the ability for effective trail planning and implementation. It combines community-based stewardship with strategic investments, focusing on ready-to-implement trail projects with federal and local partners, supporting the Enchanted Circle Trails Association's (ECTA) Adopt-a-Trail program and annual Trail Master Training. The program also navigates key milestones in the development of two significant regional trail systems, Horsethief Mesa and Miranda Canyon, and oversees several other trail efforts including the NM 150 Path and the Questa to Red River Trail. The project's primary aim is to protect public trail access, carry forward pre-approved trail projects, and reinforce a regional trail network promoting public health, equitable access, environmental stewardship, and economic vitality.
The Enchanted Circle Trails Association (ECTA) develops, maintains, and promotes trails in the Enchanted Circle region of Northern New Mexico. We are dedicated to creating a regional trail system as envisioned by the community-developed Enchanted Circle Trails Plan to positively affect community health and increase economic development through recreation — all to help improve the quality of life in the region for local residents. ECTA works closely with community groups, municipalities, and land managers to ensure that the needs of all trail users are considered in the growing list of regional trail projects. ECTA is currently working with partners on a variety of projects, which include: Developing multi-use pathways and trails that will better connect local, underserved communities to open spaces. Planning natural surface trails and trail networks to support local economies, provide more recreational opportunities, and protect natural areas by decreasing the number of user-made trails. Advocating in support of easements to improve public access to nearby trails. Promoting area trail assets by creating trail kiosks, signage, and brochures to better acquaint residents and visitors with regional opportunities. Additionally, ECTA coordinates volunteer trail work in the Enchanted Circle region. Through our Adopt-a-Trail program, we engage with local businesses and organizations, thereby increasing community support for trails and building regional capacity for trail maintenance. As part of this, we offer an annual 2-day Trail Master Training class for free to increase the public knowledge base about trails and help them hone those skills through several trail stewardship events throughout the year.