Trail Maintenance Restores Safe Access at Rio Grande del Norte Monument

Significant erosion and deferred maintenance have made trails at Rio Grande del Norte National Monument unsafe for Questa residents and visitors who fish, hike, or move cattle through the area. When monument supervisors and conservation partners recognized that changes in federal funding had prevented necessary trail upkeep, they reached out to LOR with a solution to restore safe access through local maintenance efforts.

LOR’s funding will help Friends of Rio Grande del Norte purchase trail culverts, fill material, erosion control supplies, and hire contractors to complete grading, drainage repair, and stabilization work on priority segments, including Sheep/Bear Crossing and La Junta trails. This equipment and maintenance work will restore year-round access for recreational and ranching use while enabling local crews to respond quickly to future erosion, even if federal maintenance funding remains limited.