New Trail Coming to Cibola

Lobo Canyon Trail System

  • The map showcases the path the new Lobo Canyon Trail will take.
    The map showcases the path the new Lobo Canyon Trail will take.
  • President Chad Gaines of Cibola Trail Alliance and Yolynda Begay of the Mt. Taylor Ranger District broke ground on the new Lobo Canyon Trail. With the new trail, CTA plans to increase the viability of Cibola’s economy by developing an outdoor recreation-based system that would bring families from across the state to Grants for hiking, where they can buy hiking tools and when they finish, take the kids for a scoop of local ice cream. Diego Lopez - CC
    President Chad Gaines of Cibola Trail Alliance and Yolynda Begay of the Mt. Taylor Ranger District broke ground on the new Lobo Canyon Trail. With the new trail, CTA plans to increase the viability of Cibola’s economy by developing an outdoor recreation-based system that would bring families from across the state to Grants for hiking, where they can buy hiking tools and when they finish, take the kids for a scoop of local ice cream. Diego Lopez - CC

    LOBO CANYON, N.M. – After years of hard work, the Cibola Trail Alliance has partnered with the US Forest Service to create a new trail system in Cibola County. The trail will be 24-miles and shall connect with the Continental Divide Trail in the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, the Trail Alliance plans on extending the new Lobo Canyon Trail through The Square and eventually connecting it with trails in the City of Grants. A ceremonial groundbreaking for the new trail was held on May 13.

    “This is really a monumental day. I know a lot of you guys who haven’t been that involved in the background of this might think you can just kind of jump out and dig trails, but let me tell you, it has been years and years of meetings and dedication from folks around here to bring us where we are today,” CTA Member Kendra Brown said, addressing a large crowd of community members. Brown thanked Chad Gaines, Les Gaines, Mt. Taylor Ranger District’s Fire Management teams, and CTA volunteers for the hard work which made this plan possible.

    “As we all know, our hometown is experiencing great economic hardship. Times are not easy, and there are a lot of us who want to commit to this place – we want to stay here and make things better. We believe that one of the most viable paths forward for our community is by developing an outdoor recreation-based economy,” Brown said.

    CTA sees the new Lobo Canyon Trail system as an opportunity to increase economic vitality in the area by creating new recreational opportunities which can spearhead new businesses. With the plans in place, CTA wants to make Grants a regional hub for outdoor recreation. By bringing this trail, more outdoor recreation shops can open and bring more money to the community. “We’re cheering you on,” shouted Brenda Curtright, executive director for the Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce.

    Eddie Baca is the fire management director for Mt. Taylor Ranger District, he explained that the forest service had a fire truck and several fire suppressions tools at the ready. “Large gatherings of people make me anxious during fire season,” he said.

    “What we are doing here today, will make a difference – and it matters,” Brown said. CTA President Chad Gaines said, “These are exciting times for our community,” he explained that the 24-mile trail will be nonmotorized and will be the first new trail built on Mount Taylor since the 1970s. Gaines began the process of pushing this effort, and never gave up on his vision of a new trail.

    Yolynda Begay, District Ranger, explained the new trail will be a “Sustainable Trail” which will not impact the ecosystem of the forest. Wildlife biologists, archeologists, and a series of other major leaders were involved in putting the plan together for the trail. Now, the trail will need physical labor. Volunteers are needed now in this physical-labor part of the trail. CTA will meet every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. work will include moving rocks, clearing trees and shrubbery, and moving dirt to create the new trail. This will be the first new hiking trail developed in Mount Taylor since beginning of the 21st Century, according to Gaines.

    Commissioner Robert Windhorst, Grants Mayor Erik Garcia, Grants Councilor Georgia Garcia, Village of Milan Trustee James Mercer, Cibola County Special Projects Coordinator Judy Horacek, Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brenda Curtright, Cibola County Planning Coordinator Anna Larson, and a host of other local dignitaries were present at the event.

    Gaines, Brown, and Begay thanked the community for their interest in the project and are hoping to see many community members come out to help develop the trail. As of press time, CTA had put 75-man hours into the project. The more community members who come, the quicker the project can be completed, Gaines said.