With the realization that trail planning was done agency by agency with little communication among them, the East Mountain Regional Trail Council was founded in 2008 to bring agencies and advocates together to plan a network of connected recreational trails.

Participants include Sandia District U.S. Forest Service, Santa Fe County Open Space Division, Bernalillo County Open Space Division, City of Albuquerque Open Space Division, State Land Office, N.M. DOT, Town of Edgewood Parks and Recreation, Taos Field Office BLM, and Rio Puerco Field Office BLM.

The council’s East Mountain region encompasses nearly 400 square miles, bounded by the south flanks of the Ortiz Mountains on the north, Isleta Pueblo on the south, the east flanks of the Sandia Mountains on the west, and Highway 344 on the east.

Over the past seven years, the group has provided constructive input to 15-year re-plans of the USFS, Bernalillo County, Taos Field Office BLM, and Rio Puerco Field Office BLM. The council is currently working with Santa Fe County Open Space to plan a trail head in the San Pedro Mountains.