Sep 2 – The newest attraction at Glorieta Adventure Camps is the “High Five Zipline,” a state-of-the-art zipline system. With over a mile of cable, it offers riders a unique perspective of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
“On some lines we’re traveling at speeds of over 40 miles per hour,” said Anthony Scott, the camp’s director.
The outdoor adventure-focused camp, on the eastern edge of Santa Fe County, had a rough few years, including an 18-month closure. It’s now back to pre-pandemic levels, Scott said, adding that the new zip line system had a soft opening in April.
He believes the combination of a rich history, beautiful scenery and a more temperate climate than New Mexico’s neighbors Arizona and Texas means the region’s outdoor recreation industry is poised for growth.
“I think there’s still a lot of room for growth, and we’re excited,” Scott said.
Other business owners and government officials agree.
“It’s just the momentum that we’re seeing, and if you’re already in this industry, you’re very optimistic about it,” said Karina Armijo, director of the New Mexico Department of Economic Development’s Division of Outdoor Recreation.
The state department was created in 2019, at a time when eight other states had a similar office. Since then, 15 more have been added.
Optimism about New Mexico’s outdoor recreation industry was captured in a survey the division conducted earlier this summer in partnership with endeavOR, an alliance of outdoor recreation businesses in the state. Of the 105 businesses surveyed in 21 New Mexico counties, nearly 70 percent said they expect to grow in the next three years.
For Morning Star Sports, a Silver City-based outdoor gear retailer, growth has focused on trails, bikes and career development.
Owner Lynn Mondello, 63, has lived in Silver City for more than 40 years and has run the business for 32. Five years ago, she opened a second location in Truth or Consequences, which also services bicycles.
The increased awareness of the Continental Divide Trail, which runs through Silver City, was crucial, she said. Silver City is designated as a gateway for the popular trail and receives up to 700 visitors annually, she added.
The increased interest in cycling also offers opportunities.
Western New Mexico University has an outdoor program and there has been talk of starting a bicycle mechanics course. Mondello says this would help grow her business because it would get young people interested in outdoor recreation as a career.
Other companies that participated in the state survey indicated a need for the development of a trading program within the sector.
Armijo said meeting that need aligns with one of the Outdoor Recreation Division’s long-term goals: not just getting kids outside, but exposing them to local careers in the outdoor industry. She cited the Outdoor Equity Fund, a grant program the division administers to encourage “equal access to the outdoors” for the state’s youth.
“We have great stories of kids who have been in the Youth Conservation Corps and gone on to get a biology degree, and because they love the community, they can come back and say, ‘Wow, I can be a biologist in New Mexico,’ instead of always thinking they have to get out of here to have a good career,” Armijo said.
Companies also indicated that they could use more financial support.
“There are a lot of grants available to nonprofits, but commercial companies can’t take advantage of them,” said Ryan Dudgeon, 39, owner of Desert River Guides LLC, a Farmington-based river rafting company.
In recent years, the Outdoor Recreation Division has been able to provide a one-time grant for outdoor marketing, funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, but this has been primarily targeted at nonprofit organizations.
“We saw $1.6 million in demand, and we only had $840,000 to provide. So we know if we had a similar grant, the need is there,” Armijo said, adding that if a similar opportunity were to become available again, she would be in favor of opening it up to for-profit businesses.
Glorieta Adventure Camps was a recipient of one of those grants, which it used to create five miles of adaptive trails. Scott said he hopes to add e-bike tours of a trail that parallels the historic Santa Fe Trail, which runs through the camp’s grounds.
“There’s a rich, rich history in this Glorieta Pass area — the Civil War, the Spanish colonial era, the indigenous people before that — and we like to highlight that,” he said.
Armijo noted that many outdoor recreation nonprofits are founded by business owners. Their nonprofit work often benefits their businesses and communities through smart, multifaceted growth of outdoor recreation.
Les Gaines, 67, owner of Cliff Springs LLC in Grants, started his trail building and consulting business two years ago. He works closely with two nonprofits, Cibola Outdoors and Cibola Trail Alliance, which focus on supporting outdoor recreation in Cibola County and developing multi-use trails.
Gaines’ company and the nonprofits have developed “a unique sustainability plan” for trail construction, paying special attention to erosion and environmentally friendly construction.
Gaines said he and the nonprofits have been working with Headwaters Economics, a Montana research firm, to measure the number of visitors to hiking trails in Cibola and McKinley counties over the past two years using infrared trail-counting technology.
“Headwaters Economics modeled trail usage in the region and found that nearly 83,000 visits were made to 140 miles of trails between March and August 2023. That equates to 4 in 5 residents using those trails in a six-month period,” the company’s website states.
Another benefit of nonprofit and commercial partnerships is the education, awareness and stewardship that both the Outdoor Recreation Division and businesses see as necessary for growth: teaching people how to care for the outdoors is just as important as getting them outside.
“It’s a tricky balance… but I think obviously it has to be at the top of the list of how we take care of our country and how we don’t abuse it,” Gaines said.
Armijo highlighted the Enchanted Circle Trails Association, a nonprofit that received a grant from the department to expand its Adopt-a-Trail program. As part of that effort, the organization partners with local businesses and organizations to maintain trails in Northern New Mexico and spread the message about what it means for the community to take ownership of the trail.
Companies have also asked the Outdoor Recreation Department to help spread the message.
Armijo said the agency is prepared to support their marketing needs through individual workshops and connecting them with marketing companies across the state.
Randy Randall, director of Santa Fe Tourism, is charged with spreading information about the city’s tourism opportunities. He says outdoor recreation is a boon for City Different.
Outdoor activities may not be the reason someone first visits Santa Fe, he says, but once they get here and see what the area has to offer, “it becomes a good reason to come back again and again.”
Armijo says she hopes to conduct the outdoor recreation survey every year so businesses can continue to share their needs and concerns.
“We’re kind of growing with them, so as they see potential, we see potential. … I think outdoor recreation is in a great time, especially in New Mexico, and we’re ready to do what we think works best for the outdoor recreation industry,” Armijo said.
Mondello said: “I think it’s a positive place to put energy … not only for the economy, but also to improve the quality of life in New Mexico. … Why can’t we have both?”
Gaines said New Mexico residents who want to play a role can “go out there.”
He noted that this will lead to improved well-being and at the same time boost local industry – in the form of a new pair of hiking boots, a backpack, hiking trails, a guide, a mountain bike and cycling services.
Contributor Carina Julig contributed to this report.
