There’s a lot of chatter around Los Alamos about the declaration of Stage 3 Fire Restrictions here in Los Alamos. There’ve also been reports that as of this morning, Thursday May 19, 2022, the National Forests have been closed as well. This move on the part of the Forest Service and Los Alamos County isn’t unlike a stern parent making a decision to limit the activities of their children for very good reasons. Sure. We’re all disappointed. School is about to end, the sky is blue, the sun is hot, and it would be wonderful to escape down to the canyon floor to enjoy a hike in the shade.

But last week we were talking about possible evacuations due to extreme fire danger and the Cerro Pelado fire. So this week, I want to focus on all of the amazing things you can still do here in Los Alamos in order to get outside.

For the Kids

This might be a really great opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the Pajarito Environmental Education Center! The outdoor demonstration gardens and nature play area are still fair game for visitors. Check out their website HERE and plan a visit soon! It’s a great way to get outside and enjoy the fresh air here in town.

Park Hopping

There are very likely more than a few parks here in town that you’re not aware of. It’s highly likely you’ve heard of a Pub Crawl. So why not do a much healthier version and Park Crawl all over Los Alamos County? Pull up a Google Map and type in “Parks in Los Alamos”. I bet you’ll see more than a few on the list that you’ve never heard of in places you’d never expect! Pack a snack and plan on visiting those parks one at at time until you’ve seen them all!

And while you’re doing your Park Crawl, don’t forget to check out the resting place for a lot of the old playground equipment retired from parks in Los Alamos County, the Miniature Golf Course. Many of you might not realize that Los Alamos County maintains a miniature golf course. During Covid 19 restrictions, the county opted to stop renting equipment, but you can always buy your own and make this activity a regular on your list of cool things to do in town!

For Everyone

Not that everyone can’t play miniature golf, but if you’re itching to get out and about here are a few suggestions for changing up your hiking, biking, walking, riding, running, or dog walking scenery:

Tour the Neighborhoods

Pull up that Google Map again and plan a trip to a neighborhood you’ve never visited before. Be polite to the residents as your walk their streets. Pick up the official Field Guide to Los Alamos Housing and then take yourself on a tour to find the various group housing areas of Los Alamos. Challenge yourself to discover the remaining Lustron Homes. In some of our neighborhoods, nature is just as close as it is out on the trail.

Don’t forget you can still use paved trails such as the Canyon Rim Trail. Try taking one of these in order to connect you to a neighborhood you’ve never visited before. You might be surprised what you find here in Los Alamos.

Tour the Acres

You may or may not know that there is a paved trail that meanders through Pajarito Acres and La Senda in White Rock as well. Perhaps this is your opportunity to explore country living in Los Alamos County and enjoy a walk or a run while enjoying some fresh scenery.

Now, my fellow residents, if you’ve got additional ideas of how to get outside and enjoy yourself despite fire restrictions, put them in the comments of my Facebook Post! I’d love to hear how you keep busy and stay active no matter what season it is. And when you’re ready to join our community here in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’d love to chat Real Estate with you!