Gov. Susana Martinez pledged her support on Friday for a 500-mile-long hiking trail along the Rio Grande intended to showcase New Mexico’s beauty.
The Rio Grande Trail would start at the Colorado border and follow the meandering river as it cascades through New Mexico before hugging Texas.
Rep. Jeff Steinborn of Las Cruces is a champion of the idea and introduced legislation to bring people that live along the river together with scientists and various agencies. That commission would decide the exact route of the trail that Steinborn says would offer so much to hikers.
“You know you’re in the middle of some wild lands and getting into your stride and really discovering what life is about and what’s important in life,” Steinborn said. “A trail offers that.”
The governor said it’s an incredible way to show off the Land of Enchantment and bring tourists to the state, and she vowed to get the project done before the end of her term.
Environmentalists say they are on board just so long as proper impact analyses are done to protect critical habitats.