A Management Plan for El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro on State Lands in New Mexico
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A Management Plan for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro on State Lands in New Mexico A Management Plan for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro on State Lands in New Mexico Prepared for: The Federal Aviation Administration and the New Mexico Spaceport Authority Prepared by: Elizabeth A. Oster, Ph.D, and Michael L. Elliott Principal Investigators Jemez Mountains Research Center, LLC April, 2019 Front Cover Artwork by Ronald Kil, from a wayside exhibit panel at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, courtesy of the National Park Service: “Traders on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.” The illustration depicts traders and goods moving up and down El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as they passed by this torreón (defensive tower) at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, likely constructed in the eighteenth century (<<https://www.nps.gov/elca/learn/historyculture/elca-trade-torreon-exhibits.htm>>). i [this page purposely left blank] ii A Management Plan for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro on State Lands in New Mexico 1. A Management Plan for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro on State Lands in New Mexico .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction and Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................. 1 El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro: Terminology and Nomenclature .......................................... 2 Organization of the Management Plan ............................................................................................... 4 2. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro ......................................................................................................... 5 A. Historic Context: Significance of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and Status of Information About the Trail in New Mexico ............................................................................... 5 B. Land Statuses of the Trail in New Mexico .................................................................................... 18 C. Discussion of Designated Trail Routes on New Mexico’s State Lands .................................... 29 3. Trail Management Guidance ................................................................................................................... 41 A. National Trails Legislation ............................................................................................................... 41 B. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail; Comprehensive Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement ...................................................... 44 C. ELCA Trail Administrators ............................................................................................................. 47 D. Other Federal Guidance .................................................................................................................. 50 E. Other Relevant Trail Guidance ....................................................................................................... 50 4. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro in New Mexico: Opportunities and Challenges for Protection and Preservation, and Education and Recreation ........................................................ 52 A. Identification, Evaluation, and Assessment .................................................................................. 52 B. Support for ELCA Preservation, Interpretation, and Recreation .............................................. 58 C. Hiking El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT ......................................................................... 65 D. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................... 66 References Cited ................................................................................................................................................ 69 List of Figures Figure 1.1. Looking south over a nineteenth-century alignment of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail from the top of the escarpment at La Bajada, in Santa Fe County, New Mexico ........................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2.1. Map illustrating the entire route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, beginning in Mexico City and ending at Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) in the United States ...... 6 Figure 2.2. Map illustrating the designated Route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico ................................................................................................... 20 Figure 2.3. Map illustrating portions of the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, southernmost segments ....................... 25 Figure 2.4. Map illustrating portions of the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, central segments ................................... 26 iii Figure 2.5 Map illustrating portions of the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, northernmost segments ....................... 27 Figure 2.6. Map illustrating portions of the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, illustrating the northernmost segments under State of New Mexico land ownership/management, as well as the terminus of the Trail at Ohkay Owingeh/Pueblo of San Juan ............................................ 28 Figure 2.7. Map illustrating the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, as it crosses through the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center of the NMSU ................................................................................................ 31 Figure 2.8. Aerial photograph illustrating the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, as it crosses the New Mexico State University campus ...................................................................................................................... 32 Figure 2.9. Aerial photograph illustrating the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in New Mexico, as it crosses State of New Mexico Trust Lands including the Spaceport America lease ............................................................. 33 Figure 2.10. Aerial photograph of Elephant Butte State Park and vicinity, marked with the designated route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail .............. 36 Figure 2.11. Photograph of the foundations of the partially inundated corral at historic Fort McRae .......................................................................................................................................... 37 Figure 2.12. Aerial photograph illustrating a close-up view of the remains of Fort McRae, located on a terrace above the floodplain at Elephant Butte State Park ......................................... 38 Figure 4.1. The “sign family” approved for use in various locations associated with El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT in New Mexico ....................................................................... 62 List of Tables Table 2.1. Historical Phases of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, Northern Portion ........................ 7 Table 2.2. 2018 BLM national land status data for designated ELCA trail routes in New Mexico . 21 Table 2.3. BLM-New Mexico data for designated ELCA trail routes on state lands in New Mexico .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Table 2.4. 2018 ESRI land status data for designated ELCA trail routes in New Mexico ................ 22 Table 2.5. 2018 PAD-US land status data for designated ELCA trail routes on state lands in New Mexico ................................................................................................................................ 22 Table 2.6. New Mexico State Engineer’s Office data for designated ELCA trail routes on state lands in New Mexico ................................................................................................................. 22 Table 4.1 Certified sites along ELCA in New Mexico ........................................................................... 61 Appendencies Appendix A. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Establishment Act Appendix B. The National Trails System Act Appendix C. Previous Surveys, Sites, and Registered Properties Located On/Near State- owned Segments of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Appendix D. Site Certification iv List of Acronyms Used in This Document APE Area(s) of Potential Effects BLM Bureau of Land Management CDRRC Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (affiliated with NMSU) CMP/EIS Comprehensive Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement CPRC Cultural Properties Review Committee DCA Department of Cultural Affairs ELCA El Camino Real National Historic Trail EMNRD Environment, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department FAA Federal Aviation Administration FHWA Federal Highway Administration FTDS Federal Trail Data Standards LA Laboratory of Anthropology MET Mapping Emigrant Trails MPDF Multiple Property Documentation Form NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National