TRAIL HISTORY
AND PROGRESS
Trail History
The idea of the Paso del Norte Trail began in the early 2000s with the development of the Rio Grande Riverpark Trail. Located in El Paso’s Upper Valley alongside the Rio Grande River, the trail offers scenic walks or bike rides throughout the year. Over the years, the vision of extending the trail across the entire County grew.
In 2017, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation embarked on an important journey to fund master planning for the Paso del Norte Trail, a county-line to county-line trail system linking neighborhoods and significant destinations along its route. The planning process included extensive public outreach to residents and stakeholders. The feedback received during this time was crucial to the vision of the trail, from the alignment to the amenities.
In 2017, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation invested in designing and constructing the first new segment of the Paso del Norte Trail, the Playa Drain Trail. This trail, connecting Ascarate Park to Riverside Park in El Paso’s Mission Valley, was designed with amenities, artwork, and landscaping. The impact of this project on the community was significant, catalyzing further trail development in the City and County. Over the next three years, the City constructed additional segments. The Playa Drain Trail now encompasses 8 miles, connecting Ascarate Park to Capistrano Park.
Other areas of the County will see new trail segments in the next few years. The City of El Paso, TXDOT, El Paso County, and the City of Socorro have secured an additional $50M for nearly 30 miles of trail! The following segments are in design:
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Country Club Rd to Racetrack
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Border Highway West to Executive Blvd
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San Antonio Ave to Cotton Stt
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El Paso Zoo to Alameda Roundabout
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Elvin Way and Independence Dr to Liberty St
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Liberty St to Playa Lateral
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Padilla Dr to Ysleta Mission
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Nevarez Rd to Passmore Rd
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Alamo Alto Phase 1- Fabens
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El Paso Zoo to Alameda Roundabout
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Alamo Alto Phase 2- Tornillo
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Alamo Alto Phase 3
Current Progress
The Paso del Norte Trail has made remarkable progress, with 20 miles already completed along the main alignment. These finished segments of the trail include:
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Rio Grande River Park Trail (10.9 mi)
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Playa Drain Trail (6.8 mi)
Since 2018, the trail advisory committee, in collaboration with various stakeholders, has successfully secured over $55 million in funding. Their substantial support has paved the way for nearly 20 additional miles of trail. These achievements signify significant strides in realizing the vision of the Paso del Norte Trail and its positive impact on our community.