From the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Outdoor Recreation Division
1. The health of others should still be your top priority. Bring a mask whenever you recreate and put in on when approaching other groups. Practice physical distancing.
2. Forget about campfires. There are statewide fire restrictions in place.
3. Avoid crowded trailheads. Have a back-up plan if your favorite spot is too crowded. Remember, the state parks that are open are operating under limited, day-use only capacity.
4. Check for closures. Check the land management agencies’ websites before venturing out to recreate. Many of these places are closed right now to protect both recreationists and staff.
5. Practice “Leave No Trace” principles. Pack it in, pack it out.
6. Be prepared. Many developed recreation sites (including bathrooms) remain closed. Be self-sufficient by bringing in your own food, water and trash bags.
7. You can only camp overnight at dispersed, remote campsites. All public and private developed campsites remain closed.
8. You can book some outdoor guided trips and coaching sessions. You must still adhere to all group-size limits and physical distancing rules. Don’t go out if you are sick. If you are not exhibiting symptoms, wear a mask to protect your guide or coach.
9. Gear rentals can resume so long as the equipment is properly and thoroughly sanitized between uses.
10. Public gatherings, events and camping in developed sites are still banned.
Visit www.nmoutside.com for current information about public lands closures and re-openings. For questions about guidelines, call or email Axie Navas, director of the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Outdoor Recreation Division, at 505-660-5992 and Alexandra.Navas@state.nm.us.
In anticipation of an eventual easing of stay-at-home instructions, the nonprofit conservation organization New Mexico Wild has launched the online New Mexico Wild Hiking Guide featuring descriptions of more than 100 trails, at least one in each wilderness area in the state. The guide is the first known online resource dedicated exclusively to hiking trails in New Mexico’s Wilderness areas, New Mexico Wild said in a news release.
“We are happy to offer a resource at this time that will allow New Mexicans to learn more about our spectacular wilderness areas and find a new favorite hiking trail,” said New Mexico Wild Deputy Director Tisha Broska. Using the guide “to find new wild places to explore once it is safe to do so will help us all recover mentally,” she said.
The guide can be accessed at hike.nmwild.org.
The guide provides a detailed description of each hiking trail, including driving instructions, the types of ecosystems present and an overview of the wilderness area containing the trail. Users may narrow searches to find trails that fit their interests using seven different filters: distance, route type, difficulty, water, natural features, activities and solitude. Users may also create a profile to share trail conditions and upload photos of their hikes to improve the accuracy of descriptions. Each trail features a downloadable PDF trail map and the ability to share trails on Facebook and Twitter.
Here is a link to the Peña Blanca trail the Organ Mountains Wilderness Area in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument: www.hike.nmwild.org/trails/4a0df2a4-feba-4c4e-a35f-069ddec57a10. It provides a good example of the kind of information that is included with each trail, said New Mexico Wild Communications Coordinator Joey Keefe.
New Mexico Wild cautioned users of the guide to “heed the advice of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and public health officials when planning their next hiking trip. These guidelines include limiting long-distance travel and practicing physical distancing when on a hiking trail until the state’s stay-at-home order has been fully lifted.”
“Just as you would at the grocery store, please practice social distancing and put on a face mask when passing other hikers, bikers and bird-watchers on the trail,” the governor said in a state Economic Development Department news release. “And – as always – be respectful of the landscape. Follow all restrictions, including burn bans and leave nothing behind -- whether it’s dog waste, your picnic trash or the jacket you needed in the morning but not in the afternoon.”
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