Proposal to designate a Southern NM hidden hiking gem into a state park heads to the Senate floor
Members of the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces pose for a picture while on a hike through Slot Canyon with Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. (Photo provided by Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks)
A proposal to designate Slot Canyon Riverlands as a state park cleared its last committee Tuesday morning and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
The effort started in 2023 when Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) and Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) introduced Senate Memorial 38 requesting that the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's State Parks Division conduct a feasibility study on establishing Broad Canyon Ranch — a 30-acre wetland about 15 miles north of Las Cruces owned by the state — as a state park. Slot Canyon lies just south of Broad Canyon Ranch and is part of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.
The study outlined three possible tracts of land butting up against the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, including one tract with direct access to Slot Canyon, a popular hiking trail west of the town of Radium Springs. The report estimates design, construction and equipment costs between $8.1 million and $9.3 million, including the construction of a new state park visitor center and facilities, designated parking, roadway improvements, tent and RV camping areas and designated trails.
Slot Canyon has walls about 25 to 30 feet high and the trail is about a two-and-a-half mile looped hike that is very accessible for people, Patrick Nolan, executive director of Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, told Source NM. He said the hiking trail and canyon have access to the Rio Grande and are a 'really good intro into why we protect' natural areas.
Slot canyons are described as narrow canyons with high reaching walls developed by water and wind erosion over many years. Utah has hundreds of them.
But having one in New Mexico is rare, according to Kyla Navarro, policy and community coordinator for advocacy organization Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks.
'It's just an opportune place, I would say, for our community to enjoy the outdoors,' Navarro told Source NM.
Steinborn described the natural area as a 'magical place' and one that could rival the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument for visitation.
'People literally have to park on the side of the road, hop a fence, head to this slot canyon and with this [park], we'll actually have this amazing destination that will…I think frankly grow the regional outdoor economy and just be another feather in the hat of New Mexico,' Steinborn told House Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee members during a March 4 hearing.
If HB219 passes, the Slot Canyon Riverlands State Park would join the 35 other state parks operated in New Mexico.
According to the fiscal impact report, EMNRD calculates a new state park will require $398,500 in recurring funding for the agency, which would include funds for four full time employees, two seasonal employees, utilities, equipment and maintenance.
Sens. James Townsend (R-Artesia) and Candy Spence Ezzell (R-Roswell), members of the Senate Conservation Committee, asked about park visitor safety in cases of flashfloods during a Tuesday hearing.
Small told committee members the park will be able to work with the nearby Elephant Butte Irrigation District to monitor rainfall, adding that safety will be a large part of the buildout of the state park, including signage and clear access to the park itself.
'Right now, there's a state road that sort of runs in between a couple of the main features, and one of the big things is to make it safer,' Small said. Visitors currently have to hop over a fence to gain access to the hiking trail. 'If this gets the use that it's expected to get, because it's already a very popular area where a lot of folks from the region and elsewhere go to, there's just going to be a lot more presence combined with the state park's law enforcement presence that's going to make it…very safe.'
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
State grants $2.3 million for New Mexico recreation, conservation projects
A member of Backcountry Horsemen Gila Chapter volunteer works to restore a fire damaged trail in an undated photo. The New Mexico Economic Development Department issued $2.3 million in additional grants for recreation and conservation projects around the state. (Courtesy of New Mexico Economic Development Department.) On Thursday, the New Mexico Economic Development Department awarded more than $2.3 million to 15 outdoors projects, including a mountain bike jump park in Santa Rosa, restoration of Gila trails burned by wildfire and a children's garden in Santa Fe. The projects span 14 counties and promote outdoor access and conservation stewardship, Outdoor Recreation Division Director Karina Armijo said in a statement to Source NM. 'The Trails+ Grant program is increasing safe and inclusive outdoor access, especially in rural and historically underserved communities,' Armijo said. 'It's boosting local economies and is a long-term investment in quality of life for all New Mexicans.' In total, the Outdoor Recreation Division has spent more than $28.7 million from the Trails Grant+ fund on 221 projects since the program started in 2020. Elias Quinn, a mountain biker and member of Los Senderos de Guadalupe, told Source NM the nearly $100,000 grant will be used to plan and design a mountain bike park and trail system in an underserved part of the state. 'I just felt like there was a missed opportunity for Santa Rosa, just off Interstate 40, lots of people are stopping at the lakes,' he told Source NM. 'I felt like a bike park could help attract more tourists.' Àngel Peña, executive director for Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project in Las Cruces, told Source NM his group will use the $75,000 state grant to restore trails and start a community education program in the La Mancha Wetlands. The nonprofit has owned the four-acre area, which has water in pools year-round, for several years. 'We've been doing what we can on a shoestring budget, and this is really the first real investment we've been able to secure for the specific project,' Peña said. 'The state is truly investing in its local community down here.' The grant will also help develop a resource management plan, Peña said, and then aid trail crews to start building new paths for youth hiking programs. A new round of Trails+ Grant funding will open later this year on July 1, for $11.6 million in funding available. The state agency has more information about applications on its webpage at Here's the full list of grants released by the Economic Development Department Thursday: Arroyo Seco Community Center in Taos County received $88,515 to build an ADA-accessible fitness and nature trail with native plants and exercise stations around the community center, as well as educational signage to highlight local botany and pollinators. Boy Scouts of America (dba Scouting America), Philmont Scout Ranch in Colfax County received $99,999 to restore and enhance the footpath built for the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail, connecting the Philmont Scout Ranch and Museum to Old Town Cimarron. Cavern City Trail Keepers in Eddy County received $36,924 and will add two new trailheads, upgrade two existing trailheads and provide trail signage along nearby highways on the La Cueva Ridge Trail. City of Albuquerque, Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency in Bernalillo County received $500,000 for the Central Crossing project, which will replace unsafe tunnels with a wide, at-grade crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, and connect the planned seven-mile rail trail to nearby recreation amenities. City of Clovis in Curry County received $500,000 to construct a 140-space parking area at Ned Houk Park, add drainage infrastructure and improve signage and access near the trailhead. Global Opportunities Unlimited in Colfax and Taos Counties received $97,000 to design a multi-use trail and develop infrastructure to support trail connectivity across Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire, especially at Eagle Nest Lake State Park. Jemez Enterprises in Rio Arriba County received $238,394 to develop the Jemez Adventure Park with a mountain bike and hiking trail, disc golf course and a family pavilion to boost access to outdoor recreation opportunities. Las Placitas Presbyterian Church in Sandoval County received $99,999, and will collaborate with the community and the County Sheriff's Office to design and build a rerouted segment of the Hike and Bike Trail on NM165 to improve user safety. Los Senderos de Guadalupe in Guadalupe County received $99,999 to plan, design and begin construction on a mountain bike jump/skills park as part of the Santa Rosa trail system, positioning the town as a biking destination. Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project in Doña Ana County received $75,000 for a project to protect La Mancha Wetlands ecosystem, restore trails, enhance public access to the wetlands and provide community programs focused on conservation education. Sidney Paul Gordon Shooting Range in Otero County received $99,999 for upgrades to the shooting range, including ADA firing lines, ADA facility improvements and shaded outdoor classrooms. San Isidro Farm, Southwest Indian Foundation in McKinley County received $45,667 to create a master plan for future outdoor recreation at the farm, including publicly accessible trails, a campground and a mountain bike park. Santa Fe Botanical Garden in Santa Fe County received $99,999 to support the creation of a children's discovery garden and outdoor learning pod to provide immersive nature experiences and programs for youth. Taos Mountain Bike Association in Taos County received $94,800 and, in partnership with the BLM Taos Field Office and the Carson National Forest, will improve access to the Horsethief Mesa Trailhead by stabilizing existing roads, addressing drainage and grade issues and providing access to develop a full-service trailhead. Wild Arizona in Catron and Grant Counties received $99,892 for a project to restore key sections of the Gila National Forest Trail System affected by flood and fire damage and improve connectivity and access to over 100 miles of the Gila Centennial Trail and over 50 miles of connector trails. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
REAL IDs needed real soon for flights, federal building entry
New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke demonstrates how to scan a digital driver's license at the New Mexico Sunport on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Officials will require passengers show driver's licenses, called REAL ID, that meet more stringent requirements starting on May 7. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Following years of delays, federal and New Mexico officials say starting May 7 any adult wanting to catch a flight or enter certain federal buildings will need to show a driver's license that meets stricter standards. REAL IDs, marked with a gold star in the card's top right corner, require proof of identity, age and residency to the state issuing the card. That often means using original documents such as a birth certificate, social security card and two proofs of address. Passengers must present the actual physical card, or can use their digital REAL ID at some locations, including the Albuquerque Sunport and the Lea County Regional Airport. The temporary paper ID issued from the state will not be accepted at the gates, J. Mark Heisey, the federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration, told Source NM Thursday. If a driver's license doesn't meet the requirements, then people will need to use their passports, military-issued ID or other acceptable licenses to fly or enter federal buildings, he said. The deadline for rolling out the requirements has been repeatedly pushed back since the federal law was first enacted in 2005 — but officials say this time, it's real. 'The Secretary of Homeland Security is committed to enforcing this law that's been in place since 2005,' Heisey said. 'So, we're finally at a tipping point.' People who show up to the airport without a REAL ID driver's license will face delays at TSA checkpoints, he said. 'Even if you don't have plans to travel now, your plans can change, so prepare now, as far as what type of photo ID you'll plan to bring to the airport,' Heisey said. About 80% of the driver's licenses issued in New Mexico are REAL IDs, said Stephanie Schardin Clarke, the Secretary of New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, which oversees the state's licensing. That means about 370,000 New Mexicans don't have a REAL ID, and only have the standard driver's license. 'Not all of them either want or are eligible or need a real ID,' Schardin Clarke said. 'Some portion of those 20% might be planning to travel with a passport or other acceptable documentation; for example, some of them might not be eligible for reasons of documentation, and then some might just not plan to travel or enter a federal building.' Schardin Clarke said that New Mexico state offices and private Motor Vehicle Division offices are prepared for additional appointments for REAL IDs. All state offices now require an appointment, which can be made online or scheduled over the phone at 1-888-683-3466. The state also has a frequently asked questions page for the documentation required to get a REAL ID for the first time. Htet Wint, the director of the Motor Vehicle Division, said the state does require anyone with a name change — from marriage, divorce, adoption, etc. — to bring in additional documents. 'We need all the linking documents,' Wint said. 'Like a marriage certificate, divorce decrees, court order, that ties them to that name.' Physical cards take about two weeks to arrive in the mail. The mobile driver's license downloaded to a digital wallet in a phone will take 24 hours to update. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Proposal to designate a Southern NM hidden hiking gem into a state park heads to the Senate floor
Members of the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces pose for a picture while on a hike through Slot Canyon with Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. (Photo provided by Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks) A proposal to designate Slot Canyon Riverlands as a state park cleared its last committee Tuesday morning and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. The effort started in 2023 when Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) and Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) introduced Senate Memorial 38 requesting that the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's State Parks Division conduct a feasibility study on establishing Broad Canyon Ranch — a 30-acre wetland about 15 miles north of Las Cruces owned by the state — as a state park. Slot Canyon lies just south of Broad Canyon Ranch and is part of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. The study outlined three possible tracts of land butting up against the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, including one tract with direct access to Slot Canyon, a popular hiking trail west of the town of Radium Springs. The report estimates design, construction and equipment costs between $8.1 million and $9.3 million, including the construction of a new state park visitor center and facilities, designated parking, roadway improvements, tent and RV camping areas and designated trails. Slot Canyon has walls about 25 to 30 feet high and the trail is about a two-and-a-half mile looped hike that is very accessible for people, Patrick Nolan, executive director of Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, told Source NM. He said the hiking trail and canyon have access to the Rio Grande and are a 'really good intro into why we protect' natural areas. Slot canyons are described as narrow canyons with high reaching walls developed by water and wind erosion over many years. Utah has hundreds of them. But having one in New Mexico is rare, according to Kyla Navarro, policy and community coordinator for advocacy organization Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. 'It's just an opportune place, I would say, for our community to enjoy the outdoors,' Navarro told Source NM. Steinborn described the natural area as a 'magical place' and one that could rival the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument for visitation. 'People literally have to park on the side of the road, hop a fence, head to this slot canyon and with this [park], we'll actually have this amazing destination that will…I think frankly grow the regional outdoor economy and just be another feather in the hat of New Mexico,' Steinborn told House Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee members during a March 4 hearing. If HB219 passes, the Slot Canyon Riverlands State Park would join the 35 other state parks operated in New Mexico. According to the fiscal impact report, EMNRD calculates a new state park will require $398,500 in recurring funding for the agency, which would include funds for four full time employees, two seasonal employees, utilities, equipment and maintenance. Sens. James Townsend (R-Artesia) and Candy Spence Ezzell (R-Roswell), members of the Senate Conservation Committee, asked about park visitor safety in cases of flashfloods during a Tuesday hearing. Small told committee members the park will be able to work with the nearby Elephant Butte Irrigation District to monitor rainfall, adding that safety will be a large part of the buildout of the state park, including signage and clear access to the park itself. 'Right now, there's a state road that sort of runs in between a couple of the main features, and one of the big things is to make it safer,' Small said. Visitors currently have to hop over a fence to gain access to the hiking trail. 'If this gets the use that it's expected to get, because it's already a very popular area where a lot of folks from the region and elsewhere go to, there's just going to be a lot more presence combined with the state park's law enforcement presence that's going to make it…very safe.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
