THE rail TRAIL
auras
Led by Antoine Predock & Associates with Pland Collaborative and Wilson & Company, the Albuquerque Rail Trail is being designed as a modern, artistic pathway that reflects the culture and spirit of the Land of Enchantment. The trail is organized into distinct zones, or Auras, each celebrating the history and character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
AURAS ALONG THE RAIL TRAIL
Rio: The Rio Grande sustains life in Albuquerque and draws people for agriculture, recreation, and ritual. The Rail Trail loop connects to the Bosque Trail, taking people to the river.
Origins / Albuquerque: Old Town is the historic heart of Spanish Colonial Albuquerque and a destination for locals and tourists.
Tiguex: The Tiguex people originally inhabited this land. This zone honors the first people to live here and recognizes that their descendants are still here and contribute to the vibrancy of our present and future.
Sawmill: The lumber yards were an important industry in our city. Neighborhoods grew around the sawmills to sustain the people who worked there.
Enchantment / Enchantment Plaza: From this zone, you can see the Sandias to the east, volcanos to west, and the enchantment of the sky and land everywhere you look. It is a celebration of the landscape that inspires all who see it.
Industry: Factories and warehouses clustered along this area for ease of shipping dry goods and heavy materials. Family run businesses still fuel commerce in the zone.
66: The Mother Road brought people to and through Albuquerque in the automobile. Albuquerque continued to be a crossroads for travel and commerce with Route 66.
Iron Horse: The arrival of the rail and trains transformed Albuquerque. The Rail Yards were once an economic powerhouse during industrialization. This area continues to be the hub for moving people and goods by train through the city.
Barelas: Barelas is one of the oldest neighborhoods that grew as a result of the railroad coming to Albuquerque. Barelas maintains many traditional ways and fortitude of the families that built this community.
Umbral: Umbral is the Spanish word for threshold. This place is the original crossing of the Rio Grande and the entry point for the Camino Real.