Cerrillos Hills State Park is a state park of New Mexico, located 16 miles (26 km) south of Santa Fe. Transferred to state ownership in 2009, it is New Mexico's newest state park. The hills in the park range in elevation from 6,000 feet (1,800 m) to 6,900 feet (2,100 m) above sea level. The visitors' center is located in the village of Los Cerrillos. The park has numerous hiking trails.
History
The Cerrillos Hills were originally known by the Spanish as the Sierra de San Mateo.[1] In 1581, they discovered the lead-silver deposits there, which had earlier been used by the pueblo peoples as an ingredient in pottery glazes.[1] After the coming of the "Americans" the Cerrillos Mining District was created in 1879.[2] The Cerrillos Mining District was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1973.[3]
The park was originally created in 2003 by Santa Fe County with the assistance of the Cerrillos Hills Park Coalition.[1] Its name then was the Santa Fe County Cerrillos Hills Historic Park.[4]
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Looking south from Cerrillos Hills State Park towards the Ortiz Mountains -
Cerrillos Hills State Park in Winter
References
- ^ a b c "Timeline of the Galisteo Basin" (PDF). Galisteo Watershed Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Cerrillos Hills State Park: A Cultural-Historical Overview". Cerrillos Hills Park Coalition. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
- ^ Mathien, Frances Joan. "Tri-Cultural Use of the Cerrillos Mines". Cerrillos Hills. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- ^ "All About the Cerrillos Hills State Park". Cerrillos Hills Park Coalition.
