In 2019, the state of New Mexico wanted to make outdoor recreation an economic priority. With snow regions, rivers, mountain trails, deserts, and other wild areas, there was a great deal of interest in outdoor recreation. When the pandemic came along, there was even more interest as people wanted to get out of the house without encountering crowds. A recent release of federal data shows that this was a successful effort. In 2024, New Mexico’s outdoor recreation industry contributed $3.6 billion to the state's economy, supported 31,454 jobs, and accounted for 2.5% of the state's gross domestic product. Since its 2019 inception, New Mexico’s Outdoor Recreation Division has invested nearly $34 million in trails and infrastructure and nearly $9 million into the Outdoor Equity Fund to improve youth access to the outdoors, so there has been a significant return on investment. The benefits are not only economic. The outdoor lifestyle improves public health and gives local youth an outlet that may keep them focused on activities that keep them out of trouble.
Former Tribal Governor Craig Quanchello of Picuris Pueblo, a Pueblo of about 300 people south of Taos, grew up there and knew that bored, unengaged kids can go down the wrong path in life. He decided that a recreational facility would give the youth an opportunity for healthy activity and the means to develop a passion that would keep them more focused. Moreover, it would attract action sports enthusiasts to the small village and contribute to the local economy.
That’s where Rocket Ramps comes in. Co-owners Henry Lanman, Founder of Rocket Ramps, and his business partner Teddy Jaramillo pitched the Pueblo a world-class bike park. Henry says, “The Picuris Governor told us, ‘We need to provide opportunities for our youth here at the Pueblo for alternative forms of recreation, essentially to keep people busy and healthy and just providing some outlets for kids.’ That started their outdoor initiative push, which initially included a world-class skate park, a pump track, and a trampoline park. The final phase of this outdoor rec push was a roughly 10-acre bike park. They were awarded a series of grants for the park through an Outdoor Recreation Division grant.”
For the uninitiated, a pump track is a trail with rollers (small hills) designed for bikes and skateboards. Riders gain momentum with a pumping motion of shifting their weight up and down.
Henry and Teddy were pleasantly surprised at the scope of the park that the Pueblo was looking for. Henry told us, “Their vision was essentially ‘We want the gnarliest, most intense bike park you can build, and we want the best bike jump park in the Southwest,’ which is like a dream come true for us, because we rarely get to build the big jumps. It's very stimulating and fun work. We came up with the design for them and pitched them on a progressive trick zone, some progressive jump lines, a professional-level slopestyle course, and a grand opening event, along with media assets. The park is Red Bull certified, so they could potentially host a world championship event.”
Henry told us that in addition to the healthy physical activity, there are additional opportunities. “It's really going to provide endless opportunities for individuals from the community and the Pueblo to explore alternative means of income generation. Let's say that there's somebody who wants to pursue a career in film. They can then go out and utilize the rec part to do some filming to show a very different perspective of action sports in rural northern New Mexico. There's also the rising popularity and viability of being an influencer. There’s a market for action sports content on the internet, documentary venues, and print publications. There are also potential opportunities as pro athletes.”
Henry says, “It's getting national recognition for sure, and we hope that it continues to draw people there, but ultimately at the end of the day, it's for the people of Picuris. It's an asset for their community. They want people to utilize the park who aren't from Picuris, and to help inspire people and show what's possible at the park, but at the end of the day, it is for the community members.”
There is information and lots of videos of the Picuris Bike Park on a variety of social media platforms. Google the name of the park, and you’ll see all the national attention that the park has generated. There are camping facilities at the park.