Historic El Camino Real trail marked in Socorro County

A long-standing piece of New Mexico’s history is becoming more visible in Socorro County with the installation of new signs marking El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the oldest and longest historic trail in the United States.

Volunteers with Friends of El Camino Real Historic Trail gathered last week to celebrate the first sign installed in Socorro, marking a milestone years in the making.

Kay Krehbiel, chairwoman of the Friends group, said the project grew out of a shared commitment to preserving local history after the closure of El Camino Real Heritage Center.

“Almost all of us were volunteers at the heritage center,” Krehbiel said. “Some people worked there for 10 years. When it closed, it was a real shock, but we didn’t want that history to disappear.”

For Krehbiel and others involved, the new signage represents an opportunity to reconnect the community with a trail that has run through Socorro for at least two hundred years.

“This is so exciting,” she said. “We can tell people, ‘You are now standing on the trail.’ To be able to say that to a 10-year-old — that’s powerful.”

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro traveled along the east side of the Rio Grande before crossing into what is now Socorro, passing through the historic plaza, up Cuba Road and along what is now El Camino Real Avenue. The trail continued south past San Marcial and crossed the river near Fort Craig.

Efforts to formally mark the trail in Socorro County began as early as 2016, involving partnerships with the Camino Real Trail Association, the National Historic Trails program and the National Park Service. Progress slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers say persistence paid off.

In total, five signs will be installed within the city, with approximately 12 planned throughout the county. Funding for the signs comes from the National Park Service through its National Historic Trails division. The city and county contributed by funding installation, with the city donating poles and bases for signs located within city limits.

“The mayor is always glad to help with anything that promotes Socorro,” Lloyd Martinez, city general services director, said. “This is just a good thing.”

The project has also renewed conversations about the future of El Camino Real artifacts currently stored by the city. Martinez confirmed the city is exploring grant opportunities to potentially create a small museum at the convention center, where artifacts are already being stored in a temperature-controlled space.

“These are very rare artifacts,” he said. “We’re looking at funding possibilities to make them accessible to the public.”

Krehbiel emphasized that the Socorro County Historical Society has played a key role in preserving and sharing information about the trail. Maps, photographs, videos and historical materials related to El Camino Real are available on the society’s website.