SFCT Trail Events in 2016

In October of 2016, SFCT was proud to receive the “Mayor’s Sustainability Award” in the category of transportation for our advocacy and coordination of efforts around trails, “walkability,” and “bicycle-friendliness.”

New Dale Ball Junction Signs

The Santa Fe Conservation Trust organized and supervised over 30 trail maintenance work days in Dale Ball Trails in 2016, nine work days in La Tierra Trails, four to create a connection from the Spur Trail to Santa Fe Community College, and three to re-build a footbridge at the end of Camino de las Animas with members of the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society. In addition, the Trail Alliance of Santa Fe helped SFCT in its role as “City Trail Volunteer Coordinator” by organizing and supervising eight more work days in La Tierra Trails.

Satisfied trail user at Dale Ball Trails, Junction 12, on our final work day of the year.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the year in the area of trail work was to finally replace the fading junction signs in Dale Ball Trails, and to supplement those signs with a more comprehensive set of “arrow” wayfinding signs to help trail users find their way around. Working in conjunction with the County, and thanks to support from the City Parks Division and the Trails Alliance of Santa Fe, together we put up fifty new, durable and attractive junction signs with maps, including several new junctions in Dale Ball Trails and six more along the La Piedra and Little Tesuque Trails.

Thanks go to our volunteers for taking on this big chunk of “non-traditional” trail work. As we were reminded many times out on the trails, local trail users and visitors to Santa Fe appreciate these long-anticipated improvements.

Connecting Dale Ball Central with Dale Ball South

Spur Trail Connector to SFCC

Other trail highlights of 2016 include creating a new connection in Dale Ball Trails across the Santa Fe River, to be completed and formally opened in 2017, which allows trail users to avoid walking along Cerro Gordo Rd., and a significant trail re-route in the northwest corner of La Tierra Trails that is intended to help users stay out of muddy flat areas.

The SFCT Trails Program can take credit for organizing over 600 volunteer work hours for city trails in 2016 and 60 more for the Spur Trail connector, which was developed as a “Grand Unified Trail System” demonstration project with the support of Santa Fe County’s Volunteer Coordinator, students from The Masters Program, and Santa Fe Community College.

Tour de Mural

SFCT activities to promote our trails included assistance with Bike to Work Day and the Bike and Brew Festival, organizing a Bike to School celebration at SFCC, two National Trails Day celebrations with hikes, three “Community Cruise” bicycle rides, and two Grand Unified Trail System “Study Rides.”

With support of the Lineberry Foundation, we hit full stride in the “Passport to Trails” program by leading thirty field trips for local schools or City Summer Campers, taking over 600 individuals out to Dale Ball Trails or Atalaya Trail in 2016. Our final field trip of the year included the 1,000^th time we have taken a kid out to local trails since these activities began in 2014!

Grade-schoolers hamming it up at the La Piedra Trail overlook

For summary data for the year on trail work days, field trips, and other promotional activities, see Year-End Summary for 2016.

Links below describe how each event in 2016 went. For information on upcoming trail events, see SFCT’s Events page or take a look at the TAOSF calendar.

Dale Ball South Work Days, March 24 and 31

Spur Trail Connector at Santa Fe Community College, April 15 and 22

Dale Ball Connector to Cerro Gordo Trailhead, with Dale Ball South maintenance, April 26
– June 21