East Mountain Trails & Bikeways Master Plan - Bernalillo County

Areas will typically include signage,
designated entry points and an information
kiosk with a map and interpretive materials.
The Forest Service staging area at Mars
Court is an example of a functional staging
area. Several staging areas currently exist on
National Forest land, but several more are
proposed at various locations in the Master
Plan area.
• Trailheads
Trailheads are meant to accommodate two to
eight cars, but not trailers. They are smaller
than staging areas. These facilities provide
access to open space facilities or segments
of the trail system. They may also be used to
provide access in residential or other areas
where a staging area would be inappropriate
or problematic, or where the typical users are
likely only to be hikers and dog walkers.
Trailheads may be as simple as a gravel pulloff
or could be a paved and striped series of
parking places, in order to provide ADA
access to a neighboring facility. Trailheads
will typically include signage, designated
entry points and an information box that
provides maps to the facility/segment of the
system. A typical Trailhead facility is similar
to that currently found at Sunflower Park and
Juan Tomas Open Space. Several
Trailheads exist on National Forest and City
and County Open Space lands, and several
more are proposed by the Master Plan.
• Neighborhood Access Points
Neighborhood Access Points are the most
limited of access facilities. Typically, the
Master Plan has proposed these facilities at
the interface between existing or future
residential areas and open space areas.
Because of the residential uses, parking
facilities for non-residents would be
inappropriate. The Neighborhood Access
Point will permit existing and future
residential neighbors, as well as users of the
rural road and trail system to access the
open space. Neighborhood Access Points
will have minimal signage and a designated
entry point, but otherwise no supporting
facilities. A typical Neighborhood Access
Point proposed in this plan is found at the
end of McGuinness Road into the Juan
Tomas Open Space.
6. Potential Recreation Areas
A series of Potential Recreation Areas are
identified. These areas would typically have more
intensive recreational use than other open space
areas. The goal for these areas would be to
provide motorized and other intensive users with
courses that could meet the needs of their
particular use. These facilities would be jointly
managed by the County and a formal foundation
or association representing particular user
group(s), pursuant to terms established at the
time of acquisition or lease. Significant
coordination and planning with property owners,
user groups, and adjacent residents will be
required to make these potential recreation areas
a reality.
7. ADA Accessible Facilities
Currently, there are three major ADA accessible
interpretive trail facilities on National Forest land at
the Doc Long and Cienega Picnic Areas, and the
Sandia Ranger District Station on South 14. ADA
accessible facilities also exist along north 14 and
between the Vista Grande Community Center and
neighboring school facilities. There are several ADA
accessible facilities identified in the Master Plan,
including the paved trail along Frost Road and US
333, as well as the sidewalks and off road paved
trails proposed near existing and proposed schools in
Tijeras and near the County Line by the Route 66
Elementary School. Finally, there are fully accessible
interpretive facilities proposed adjacent to the Tijeras
Arroyo on the APS lands from the school road
entrance to the bridge to Los Vecinos Community
Center.
EAST MOUNTAIN TRAILS AND BIKEWAYS MASTER PLAN Page 51