Valencia County – Parks and Recreation

From the rugged trails of the Manzano Wilderness to the small delights of the Southwest Model Railroad Museum, Valencia County offers a blend of natural beauty, unique attractions, and rich cultural heritage that gives it the potential to become a thriving site of outdoor recreation. Valencia County is located in the Rio Grande Basin, which has been home to the people of the Isleta Pueblo for over six hundred years. The Manzano Mountains border the county on the East, and mesas extend to the West. The Rio Grande and Rio Puerco both flow through it, sustaining the rich wetland environment that is one of the varied ecosystems the county has to offer. Valencia County contains parts of multiple protected areas, including the Manzano Wilderness, the Cibola National Forest, the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area, the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex, and the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail. Opportunities abound for forms of outdoor recreation ranging from hiking, camping, and biking to fishing and birdwatching. Valencia County is an ideal place for connecting New Mexicans with the outdoors. It is a rural area with small, vibrant communities and a varied landscape, easily accessible from Albuquerque but more closely integrated with the natural environment. Though sometimes overlooked, Valencia County is the sixth largest county in New Mexico by population, with 79,141 inhabitants; its largest population centers are the village of Los Lunas and the town of Belen. Valencia County continues to draw new residents. From 2020-2023, its population grew by 3.9%—a far higher growth rate than the state as a whole, whose population decreased by 0.1% (U.S. Census Bureau). The county has a majority-minority population: 61.6% of inhabitants identify as Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% as Native American, 2.7% as two or more races, 2.3% as Black, and 1.1% as Asian. Valencia County is working to improve the quality of life of all of its inhabitants through equitable access to outdoor recreation, health resources, and economic opportunity–all of which are deeply connected. Those aims have led to several accomplishments: In 2022, the county instituted a Comprehensive Plan that prioritizes expanding trails and bikeways to increase opportunities for residents and visitors to engage in outdoor recreation, improve residents’ quality of life and health outcomes, and protect the environment by reducing the number of cars on the road. In February 2023, the county established a Parks and Recreation Department. In November 2023, the county acquired Las Maravillas Park, which promises to bring outdoor recreation into the heart of the community, although it requires major renovations. In June 2024, the Parks and Recreation Department launched an internship program to connect young people to careers in outdoor recreation and environmentalism. In future years, Valencia County is excited to continue cultivating New Mexicans’ love of the outdoors while promoting the health and prosperity of the region.