Dar al Islam Receives Grant to Map and Improve Plaza Blanca Hiking Trails

By Karima Alavi
Image Courtesy of Dar al Islam
​
If you’ve visited Abiquiu’s Plaza Blanca, you’re familiar with the sensation of feeling heat rise from dusty paths while breathing in the calming scents of chamisa, junipers, and sagebrush. Under the right conditions, hikers can convince themselves that they’re watching heatwaves dance through the sandy arroyos like spirits rising with the breeze. (They’re really watching how light will bend, mirage-like, as hot air rises to mix with the cooler air above. No less magical than if visitors actually detected a mysterious apparition guiding them across the land.)
 
Whether you’re familiar with the hiking trails of Plaza Blanca, or you hope to enjoy them sometime soon, good news has arrived in the form of a grant received by Dar al Islam from the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division. Funds will be used to map and clear the paths, along with further plans to bring improvements to the grounds that will make the experience of hiking even more pleasant as visitors explore the pristine beauty of the area. The long-term goal is to develop even more sustainable hiking trails within the landscape that is known for its sandstone formations. While stunning, much of the area is also fragile. Measures to prevent ecological and natural harm will be listed along with clear guidance on where to hike and how to protect the site. As a result, potential for harm to the natural lands will be minimized.
 
The majestic beauty of Plaza Blanca, situated on two-hundred acres at the Dar al Islam education center and mosque, came to national attention when the artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, felt drawn to paint the sense of wonder she experienced when visiting Abiquiu. As a result of her fascination with the landscape, there has been an ever-increasing desire of tourists and local people to experience the site. Over the past three years, Dar al Islam has maintained records of visits to Plaza Blanca through a system of registering people and giving them a gate-code that enables access. During those three years, more than 10,000 people registered. It is assumed that a truly accurate number would be much higher because most cars that enter the gate leading to the Plaza Blanca trailhead have more than one person in them. In addition, repeat visitors are not included in this count since the code enables them to enter multiple times.
 
The purpose of this grant is to ensure that the fragile ecosystem of Plaza Blanca is protected through a natural landscape preservation plan, while balancing the desire of tourists and locals to enjoy the beauty of the location. To that end, plans are in place for several improvements, beginning with a geological assessment that will also consider the vulnerability of some areas. Existing hiking trails will be mapped out, and potential new ones will be identified and possibly developed, to assure that tourists have a pleasant experience while, at the same time, protecting Plaza Blanca from overuse.
 
Layout of the grounds will be initiated through the use of drones. It is Dar al Islam’s intention to utilize volunteers to map out existing trails and explore opportunities for additional pathways, along which will be installed signs marking flora and fauna at this popular destination that attracts not only national visitors, but international tourists as well.  
 
Several short-term and long-term jobs will be created through this project. It is also hoped that many local Abiquiu businesses including hotels, restaurants, and galleries will benefit from Dar al Islam’s effort to attract more people to this special terrain.  
 
This project was initiated with the October 2024 Trail Mapping Weekend, led by Matthew Schumann. (See his October 23, 2024 Abiquiu News article for more information)
 
Those interested in touring Plaza Blanca are welcome to request an access code that will open the gate to the parking area situated at the trailhead. Click here to register: https://daralislam.org/plaza-blanca.aspx
 
That same website will link you to a slide show of Plaza Blanca images available on the Dar al Islam YouTube channel. Enjoy!