ZUNI, N.M. (June 18, 2026) — The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project has launched its 2026 Summer Trail Crew, providing three local young people with paid employment while supporting ongoing improvements to the Pueblo of Zuni’s community trail system. This summer marks the third consecutive year of the program, which is made possible through New Mexico’s Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant.
This year’s crew includes Anisah Vacit, 23, Connor Seowtewa, 17, and Johnathon Niiha, 17. Throughout the summer, they will work under the direction of ZYEP Facilities/Built Environment Coordinator Thomas Zunie and Built Environment Leader Enric Tsalate to maintain trails, replace aging infrastructure and help ensure community members can continue to enjoy the trail network.
“These young people are not just making the trails great today, they are making our community healthier for generations,” said Tahlia Natachu-Eriacho, ZYEP’s executive director. “Access to these spaces is so important.”
Seowtewa said the trail crew position offers an opportunity to combine his interest in the outdoors with hands-on work that benefits the community. A student at Zuni High School, he enjoys hunting, spending time outside and working with technology.
Niiha, an 11th-grade student at Middle College High School in Gallup, New Mexico, said he enjoys learning new skills and preparing for future college and career opportunities. Rounding out this year’s crew is Vacit, who said her hobbies beyond outdoor recreation include sewing and arts and crafts.
A major focus for the Summer Trail Crew this season will be replacing wooden mile markers with fiberglass posts on several popular routes, including Bear, Cougar, Wolf and Cottonwood trails. According to Zunie, the existing wooden markers have sustained increasing damage from termites and need to be replaced.
“The trail crew will be helping us complete several important projects this summer,” he said. “Replacing the mile markers will improve the longevity of the trail system, and we’ll also be making changes that address ongoing maintenance and vandalism issues.”
Among those changes is a planned reroute of Blackrock Trail, as the crew removes the current trailhead and relocates it adjacent to Cottonwood Trail. Zunie explained that repeated vandalism has damaged the existing trailhead despite multiple repair efforts.
“We’ve made five repairs to the trailhead,” he said. “Now it’s time to move it. We’ll be moving the Mt. Bluebird Trailhead for similar reasons.”
Natachu-Eriacho acknowledged that the vandalism has been expensive, and it occasionally brings the team’s spirits down, but they remain focused on their goal.
“Our community deserves quality access to health and wellness,” she said. “The reroute efforts are a reflection of our core values.”
As the crew works on trail improvements throughout the summer, they also will remove litter and help maintain surrounding areas.
ZYEP and the Zuni Health & Wellness Coalition established the community trail system in 2014. Today, the network includes more than 60 miles of trails, with 11 distinct routes connecting to most residential neighborhoods and providing access to thousands of pueblo residents. To view a trail map, visit zyep.org/trails/.
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09).
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
