Heinrich Welcomes Expanded Access to Santa Fe National Forest from the Village of Jemez Springs

SANTA FE, N.M. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, welcomed the announcement by the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) on its final acquisition of two parcels of land known as the Valley of the Spirit Ranch, which will unlock public access to the forest from the Village of Jemez Springs.

“With this addition to the Santa Fe National Forest, we will unlock direct access to the forest from the Village of Jemez Springs for the very first time. Expanded access to new hiking trails and other recreation opportunities on our public lands is exactly what I had in mind when I fought to pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act into law,” said Heinrich. “This is how to we will grow New Mexico’s outdoor recreation economy. I am deeply grateful to everyone at the Santa Fe National Forest, Jemez Pueblo, and the Village of Jemez Springs who worked so hard to make this successful acquisition happen.”

The acquisition of the Valley of the Spirit property was made possible by the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, bipartisan legislation that Heinrich championed in 2020 to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and make record investments in our outdoor economy. The law also included dedicated funding to address maintenance backlogs at all four public lands agencies and the Bureau of Indian Education.

Located between spires of volcanic tuff and red rock mesas, this property surrounds the Village of Jemez Springs and is now an official part of the SFNF. The property adds 2,092 acres rich in natural and cultural resources to public lands and expands public access to areas of the forest that are currently difficult to reach.

The property lies within the Congressionally designated Jemez National Recreation Area and consists of two parcels: one parcel on the west side of the Jemez River that totals 895 acres in size and the other parcel across the river and to the east that is 1,197 acres in size. Both parcels have legal access from N.M. Highway 4.

“This property has many cultural, natural, scenic and recreational values. We are very excited to add this parcel to our beautiful national forest for all to enjoy. We’ll be working closely with the Pueblo of Jemez and other tribes and pueblos in the area to consult with them at every step of our management planning process,” said Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez.

“The Village of Jemez Springs is ecstatic about the Santa Fe National Forest purchasing the Spirit Ranch property.  Our village is deep within the heart of the Santa Fe National Forest, however we were blocked easy access by the privately owned Spirit Ranch. The ranch surrounded us on the east and west sides. Now with the purchase, residents and visitors will be able to start a hike directly from within village limits and explore some beautiful backcountry,” said Mayor Roger Sweet. “Come enjoy what our community has to offer: hot springs, food, lodging, culture, history and soon, some spectacular hiking trails.”