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Grand Opening of El Camino Park

Santa Fe County Open Space and Trails would like to invite the public to the Grand Opening of El Camino Park on Friday, October 19 at 2 p.m. El Camino Real Park on the Santa Fe River Greenway is a trailhead and retracement trail of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail.

The one mile trail is located on the Santa Fe River between Constellation Drive and San Felipe. The trail at El Camino Real Park will eventually connect to the entire Santa Fe River Greenway, including the segments within the City limits. The completed Greenway will extend approximately 15 miles from downtown Santa Fe to the Wastewater Treatment Plant west of NM 599. The project cost for El Camino Real Park is approximately $988,145. The funding source for this project is Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) and a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Scenic Byway Program Grant.

Santa Fe County acquired a permanent easement from the New Mexico State Land Office in 2002 for El Camino Real Park. With grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Mexico State Land Office restored this portion of the Santa Fe River in partnership with the New Mexico Environment Department, the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County. The project recreated meanders in the river channel, stabilized the river bed and banks, removed non-native vegetation and tons of trash and debris, and planted native cottonwood trees, willows, shrubs and grasses. The County continues to work to restore the river using natural materials and native plants to stabilize the channel and enhance the riparian habitat.

Santa Fe County utilized alternative paving surfaces for this project. The alternative paving surfaces include three sections of test materials: a recycled glass porous pavement, a recycled tire porous pavement and an eco-friendly resin stabilized soil pavement.

The grand opening and ribbon cutting will take place at the El Camino Real Park trailhead located at Constellation Drive and the Santa Fe River. From Airport Road turn north onto Constellation Drive and head straight until you reach the trailhead at the Santa Fe River. After the Grand Opening everyone is invited to walk or bike the trail on the Santa Fe River Greenway and drive the original route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail following newly installed signs along Agua Fria Street.

For more information about the Santa Fe River Greenway, please visit www.santafecountynm.gov/public_works/open_space_and_trails_program/santa_fe_river_greenway