Over the past 20 years, Commonweal Conservancy has constructed the largest publicly-accessible, privately-owned trail network in the American Southwest. The GBP trails gracefully traverse the savannah grasslands, sandstone ridge lines and arroyos of an iconic landscape in northern New Mexico.

The trails of the GBP are celebrated by residents and visitors as a place of refuge and inspiration. The broad extent and diversity of the GBP trails invite day-long excursions and short-form wandering. It’s a place for people and wildlife. A place for well-behaved dogs and respectful equestrians and cyclists.

Note: The trails of the Galisteo Basin Preserve are NOT available for use by commercial operators. Violators will be reported to the local authorities and banned from the preserve.

Updated Trails Map

Commonweal is very pleased to announce that it updated the GBP trails map in September 2023 with a series of new trails.

The trails map is available in two formats:

  1. A STANDARD PDF that be can printed as an 8.5” x 11” hard-copy map. Click here to download the PDF >

    AN INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC VERSION that can be downloaded to your smart phone!
    The interactive map allows you to see your location and track your progress while hiking, biking and riding the GBP trails. Commonweal has developed the interactive map to enhance your enjoyment of the trails and improve your ability to safely navigate the network.

  2. To access a copy of the interactive map, download the free Avenza Maps app to your smart phone. The first time you open the app you will be on the Getting Started page. Copy the link (attached below), and then open the Avenza app on your phone, hit the + sign on the top right corner, click import map, click “From the Web” and copy the following into the prompt box: https://www.galisteobasinpreserve.com/s/GBPTrails091224_geo.pdf

    It will take a minute or two for the map to load to your phone since it is a large file, but once it’s loaded it will be there on the maps page every time you open the app. You do not need a cell connection to use the map at the GBP, since the map is tied to the GPS unit in your smart phone. When you are out on the trails, you will see that a blue dot tracks your location as you are riding or hiking.

Things To Know Before You Go

We hope you enjoy the Galisteo Basin Preserve public trails. Please remember they are part of a fragile landscape: Stay on marked trails and roads, park only in designated areas, and carry out everything you carry in (plus dog poop).

When you explore the trails, be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks—and be careful out there. Cell phone service is intermittent at the Galisteo Basin Preserve.