The LANL Trails Working Group inventories, maps, and prepares historical reports on the many trails used at LANL. Some of these trails are ancient pueblo footpaths that continue to be used for recreational hiking today. Some serve as quiet and non-motorized alternatives between the Townsite and LANL or between technical areas.

The Trails Working Group, established in December 2003, includes representatives from local citizen hiking groups, Los Alamos County, Forest Service, Park Service, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the NNSA Los Alamos Site Office. Trail Working Group meeting notes are available upon request. Please contact Dan Pava for more information.

The Trails Working Group carries out the Trails Management Program, which was a requirement stipulated in an NNSA environmental assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) (pdf) completed in 2003. The program addresses various issues related to hiking on Laboratory property. Through this program, an active needs assessment was completed on how to manage foot traffic, control looting and vandalism, protect the scientific value of sites near trails, and provide the proper respect for sites that are sacred to local pueblos.

Public Meetings

• Trails at TA-70 and 71 - Project Update Public Meeting June 12, 2013 (pdf)

Plans

• Trails Management Plan 2015 (pdf)

Reports & Studies

• Annual
  • Trails Management Program Mitigation Action Plan Annual Report for FY 2014 (pdf)
  • Trails Management Program Mitigation Action Plan Annual Report for FY 2013 (pdf)
  • Trails Management Program Mitigation Action Plan 5th Annual Report for FY 2011 (pdf)
  • Trails Management Program Mitigation Action Plan 4th Annual Report for FY 2010 (pdf)
• General Background
  • Trails Use Survey Summary (pdf)
  • The Los Alamos Trails Management Program - The Path Forward in an Era of Interagency Collaboration (pdf)
  • The LANL Trails Management Program – A Better Path Forward (pdf)
• Special
  • Mortandad Cavate Complex Baseline Study, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (pdf)
  • 2010 Response to the Impact of Social Trails Use on Cultural Resources in Technical Areas 70 and 71, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (pdf)
  • A Response to the Impact of Social Trails Use on Cultural Resources in Technical Areas 70 and 71, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (pdf)
  • An Assessment of the Impact of Social Trails Use on Cultural Resources in Technical Area 71, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (pdf)
  • Cultural Resources and Recreational Trails Use at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico: Education and Mitigation (pdf)
  • An Assessment of the Impact of Social Trails Use on Cultural Resources in Technical Area 70, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (pdf)
  • Historic Roads (pdf) by Dorothy Hoard
  • Jemez Forest Telephone Line (pdf) Report by Janie O'Rourke