Rio Grande Farm Park

In the town of Alamosa, in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, a 38-acre site along the Rio Grande has become a place for local Guatemalan and Mayan immigrants to farm corn, beans, and squash for affordable, healthy food. The trails connecting the property to town are also popular with residents for recreational use, and the river wetlands provide habitat for a diverse group of plants and animals.

When developers proposed converting the property to an RV park, The Trust for Public Land worked with local partners to protect the land for the community instead. After helping purchase the land in 2014, we led a series of design workshops for neighbors to choose and plan new amenities. The San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition is now managing the creation of the Rio Grande Farm Park to include a six-mile trail system and 16 acres for community farming-as well as a garden, fruit tree orchard, children’s nature play area, and gathering spaces for the kind of cultural events that celebrate the unique and eclectic heritage of the San Luis Valley.

The Rio Grande Local Foods Coalition will hold a conservation easement on the property to ensure that it will be protected from future development.

This project was made possible through the support of the LOR Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado , San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, Colorado Open Lands and the community of Alamosa.