Relocate Bayo Canyon Trailhead Parking to North Mesa Picnic Grounds

Los Alamos County is pursuing construction of a new intersection and access road near the San Ildefonso roundabout to serve the Bayo Canyon Trailhead, but a local advocate says a better, cheaper, and safer option exists: relocate primary trailhead parking to the North Mesa Picnic Grounds.

County plans under current momentum call for an entrance road that would descend into a flat meadow, including a developed parking lot and restroom. That road would cross existing trails at grade and require new construction through currently open terrain. Kevin Holsapple argued on Jan. 24, 2026 that the Picnic Grounds already host the disc golf course, picnic facilities, and serve as a starting point for many hikes, and that upgrading those facilities would make use of existing infrastructure rather than creating new maintenance obligations.

Holsapple laid out three core reasons to favor relocation. Fiscal responsibility is central: building a brand new intersection and parking area creates permanent, long-term maintenance obligations on the County budget. By contrast, repurposing the Picnic Grounds would allow the County to reprogram limited capital dollars toward higher-priority projects such as trail accessibility upgrades and completing the North Road Equestrian Route. Safety is also at issue. The current informal parking turn-off sits on a steep, busy stretch of road adjacent to the San Ildefonso roundabout; moving the primary access to the Picnic Grounds would use flatter, existing intersections and reduce conflict points for vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians. Finally, preserving user experience matters to locals. The proposed meadow entrance would send automobile traffic across trails where hikers, bikers, and equestrians emerge and would likely eliminate a popular sledding area on the mesa - a change that would literally send some winter recreation downhill.

Holsapple proposed transforming the Picnic Grounds into a centralized recreation hub that includes ADA-accessible loops, equestrian support, and enhanced amenities, achieved primarily by renovating existing facilities rather than building in the canyon. He also called for better public engagement and a transparent comparison of alternatives before the County commits further to the current design.

For Los Alamos residents, the choice implicates safety on North Mesa Road, long-term operating costs, and the everyday experience of trail users, families, riders, and disc golfers. Moving parking to an existing County asset could reduce construction costs and concentrate maintenance needs in one place, but it requires a clear, side-by-side analysis of costs, environmental impacts, and user access.

The next step is procedural: Los Alamos County should convene a public input session and publish a comparative analysis of the current canyon plan and the Picnic Grounds relocation option before spending additional project funds. Doing so would give residents the data needed to weigh safety, fiscal impact, and preservation of the mesa’s recreational character.