Paso del Norte Health Foundation Expands Paso del Norte Trail with New Segment in Sunland Park
June 18, 2026
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. – A new safe space for walking, biking, and running is coming to the City of Sunland Park. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation and the City of Sunland Park held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 18 to celebrate a new partnership that will extend the Paso del Norte Trail into the City.
The new Sunland Park segment, also part of the New Mexico Rio Grande Trail system, will span approximately 5 miles on each side of the river, creating a roughly 10-mile trail.
The trail will extend from Western Playland and Mender Park on Calle Carrousel in Sunland Park, N.M., and follow the Rio Grande River corridor to the Texas-New Mexico state line near Country Club Road and Rio Bravo Drive. The Rio Grande Trail will become part of the Paso del Norte Trail, which is expected to span approximately 70 miles and connect communities from Tornillo, Texas, to Anthony, New Mexico once it’s completed.
Through a nearly $2 million investment from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, the project will support the following projects:
- Design and engineer 9.2 miles of trail along both sides of the Rio Grande, a PdNHF investment of $800,000.
- Construct 0.69 miles of trail along the Rio Grande to extend the existing trail to Frontera Road, a PdNHF investment of $798,297.92.
- Install wayfinding signage along completed trail segments, a PdNHF investment of $300,000.
“At the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, our goal is to make active living the easy choice for residents by increasing access to safe, accessible hike and bike trails - to walk, run, bike, and commute,” said Tracy Yellen, CEO of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. “Trails like this create opportunities for physical activity, support mental health, and strengthen connections among communities.”
The goal of the Paso del Norte Trail is to create an interconnected pathway system across the region while promoting recreation and a more pedestrian-friendly community.
“This partnership with the Paso del Norte Health Foundation marks a significant milestone for Sunland Park,” said Javier Perea, Mayor of the City of Sunland Park. “By integrating our local paths into this regional trail network, we are providing our residents with new, accessible spaces for physical activity and recreation. This project is a direct investment in the health and long-term quality of life of our community, and we are proud to be part of this collective effort to connect our region.”
The vision for the Paso del Norte Trail began in the early 2000s with the Rio Grande Riverpark Trail in El Paso’s Upper Valley. Over time, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation expanded that vision to create a connected trail system linking communities across the region.
The effort has been advanced through partnerships with Congresswoman Veronica Escobar and a broad coalition of local governments, transportation agencies, planning organizations, and trail advocates, including the County of El Paso; the cities of El Paso, Socorro, and Sunland Park; the New Mexico Department of Transportation; the Texas Department of Transportation; the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization; the Trail Stakeholder Committee; the Rio Grande Trail Commission; LOI Engineers; and Friends of the Trail. As more miles and new views take shape, the trail reflects PdNHF’s commitment to helping create a healthy, thriving region.
To learn more about the Paso del Norte Trail and view completed segments of the trail, click here.
