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10-20-2007, 02:35 PM
Manzano Mountains State Park to Stay Open through November, Possibly Beyond
New staff makes extended season possible
Contributed by: Eria Asmus-Otero NM State Parks PR Rep
<table align=center cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>Manzano Mountains State Park, located north of Mountainair, will remain open through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsFallColors_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt="Manzano Mountains State Park, located north of Mountainair, will remain open through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions."></td></tr></table>
Mountainair, New Mexico – Manzano Mountains State Park, located in Manzano north of Mountainair, will remain open to visitors through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions. The extension will create more opportunities for the public to enjoy the beautiful fall season in the Manzano Mountains.
For the past nine years the park has been operated on a seasonal schedule, opening April 1 and closing October 31. Funds requested by Governor Richardson and provided by the New Mexico Legislature, however, have now allowed State Parks to hire a full-time ranger for the park, which will permit the park to remain open longer. Depending on weather conditions, Manzano Mountains could extend its season into December and beyond.
<table align=right cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>"Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsTrail02_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt='"Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon.'></td></tr></table>“Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon. “Thanks to the Governor and the Legislature for providing the funds needed to keep the park open longer.”
“With our longer season, I look forward to seeing more visitors this fall—it’s a beautiful time to experience Manzano,” said Park Ranger Harold Zuni.
Zuni was hired this summer as the full-time park ranger at Manzano Mountains; previously the park was managed by seasonal staff and employees from Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in Albuquerque.
<table align=left cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsHorses_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt='Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping.'></td></tr></table>The park has 37 developed campsites, nine of which have electric hook-ups. Sites are first come, first serve; reservation sites are only available from April 1 through September 15. Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping. The park has about five miles of interconnecting hiking trails, including a marked nature trail, and provides excellent proximity to the rest of the Manzano Mountains in the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest as well as other attractions in the area.
The park is just minutes from the Quarai unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, a unit of the National Park System, which preserves a 17th-century Spanish Franciscan mission churche and a large pueblo once inhabited by Native Americans. The two other units of Salinas Missions National Monument, Abó and Gran Quivira, are also just a short drive away.
Manzano Mountains State Parks is about a one hour drive from Albuquerque using NM 337, and can also be accessed by driving 16 miles northwest of Mountainair via NM highways 55 and 131. For more information about this jewel of a park in the Monano Mountains, please visit their web page at NMParks.com (http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/prd/Manzano.htm).
New staff makes extended season possible
Contributed by: Eria Asmus-Otero NM State Parks PR Rep
<table align=center cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>Manzano Mountains State Park, located north of Mountainair, will remain open through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsFallColors_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt="Manzano Mountains State Park, located north of Mountainair, will remain open through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions."></td></tr></table>
Mountainair, New Mexico – Manzano Mountains State Park, located in Manzano north of Mountainair, will remain open to visitors through November—and possibly beyond, depending on weather conditions. The extension will create more opportunities for the public to enjoy the beautiful fall season in the Manzano Mountains.
For the past nine years the park has been operated on a seasonal schedule, opening April 1 and closing October 31. Funds requested by Governor Richardson and provided by the New Mexico Legislature, however, have now allowed State Parks to hire a full-time ranger for the park, which will permit the park to remain open longer. Depending on weather conditions, Manzano Mountains could extend its season into December and beyond.
<table align=right cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>"Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsTrail02_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt='"Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon.'></td></tr></table>“Manzano is a little gem in a beautiful location, and State Parks is pleased to increase public access to this park,” said State Park Director Dave Simon. “Thanks to the Governor and the Legislature for providing the funds needed to keep the park open longer.”
“With our longer season, I look forward to seeing more visitors this fall—it’s a beautiful time to experience Manzano,” said Park Ranger Harold Zuni.
Zuni was hired this summer as the full-time park ranger at Manzano Mountains; previously the park was managed by seasonal staff and employees from Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in Albuquerque.
<table align=left cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><caption align=bottom><font size=2 face="Arial Narrow" color=black>Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping.</font></caption><tr><td><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ManzanoMountainsHorses_000.jpg border=1 hspace=5 alt='Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping.'></td></tr></table>The park has 37 developed campsites, nine of which have electric hook-ups. Sites are first come, first serve; reservation sites are only available from April 1 through September 15. Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos (Spanish for “apples”), the park is an excellent place for birding, photography, hiking, and camping. The park has about five miles of interconnecting hiking trails, including a marked nature trail, and provides excellent proximity to the rest of the Manzano Mountains in the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest as well as other attractions in the area.
The park is just minutes from the Quarai unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, a unit of the National Park System, which preserves a 17th-century Spanish Franciscan mission churche and a large pueblo once inhabited by Native Americans. The two other units of Salinas Missions National Monument, Abó and Gran Quivira, are also just a short drive away.
Manzano Mountains State Parks is about a one hour drive from Albuquerque using NM 337, and can also be accessed by driving 16 miles northwest of Mountainair via NM highways 55 and 131. For more information about this jewel of a park in the Monano Mountains, please visit their web page at NMParks.com (http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/prd/Manzano.htm).