Fall Weekends in the Upper Valley Start at the River

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is planning a 70-mile trail from Tornillo to Anthony, and as of April 2026 about 21 of those miles were finished. The Rio Grande River Park Trail makes up roughly 11 of them, running from the Texas–New Mexico state line to Country Club Road. So more than half of the finished regional trail runs through the Upper Valley.

That makes the river the natural starting point for a fall weekend here, and in 2026 the season around it has firm dates. The trail switched to shorter cool-season hours this month. The Sunday market down on Mesa has a different theme every October weekend. The corn maze just north of the state line closes for the year on November 8. Here is how the pieces fit together, starting with the river.

The Trail Everything Else Grew From

The regional plan started here. The Foundation describes the Paso del Norte Trail vision as beginning in the early 2000s with the Rio Grande Riverpark Trail in the Upper Valley. Later it grew into a partnership with the County and City of El Paso, Socorro, Sunland Park, the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization, TxDOT, and Congresswoman Escobar. Since 2017 the Foundation has funded trail design and construction. More than $75 million has been secured for the trail's main spine, and more money is still needed to finish the remaining miles.

The Upper Valley stretch is really several pieces managed by different agencies:

• Country Club Road to Borderland Road: The City of El Paso lists this as the 2.8-mile Rio Grande North Linear Trail.
• Borderland Road to Vinton Road: El Paso County runs this section, about five miles of 8-foot-wide paved multi-use trail between Canutillo and Vinton.
• The full route: The Paso del Norte Trail site describes 10.9 paved miles open to walking, running, cycling, skating, and other non-motorized use.

The Artcraft/Sunset Terrace path near Artcraft and Upper Valley Road is a separate half-mile city trail, not a river access point.

Where to Park and Get On

Mary Frances Keisling Park, at 651 Gomez Road, is the main gateway. The trail site marks it as an access point with parking, a water fountain and a bike-repair station, and there are benches and trash cans along the route. In July 2026, El Paso Matters called Keisling a common access point and described one rider who goes from the park to Vinton and back. In a February 2026 AllTrails review, one visitor reported a portable toilet and plenty of parking there. Treat that as one visitor's report, not a promise from the park. In a December 2025 review on the same page, another visitor said they found no parking at the trail's "start." Keisling is the dependable choice.

There are two other options. The trail site maps a parking point at 900 Country Club Road but doesn't say how big it is. At the north end, TrailLink describes limited parking at the Vinton Road crossing, just past the Rio Grande bridge, reached from I-10 Exit 2 by heading west on Vinton Road.

October Changes the Hours

On the County's Borderland–Vinton section, hours shift each fall. From March through September the trail is open 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. From October through March it's open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. As of this week, the shorter schedule is in effect. The County's page lists March in both ranges, so check with the County if you're planning a March evening ride.

City guidance asks cyclists and rollerbladers to yield to walkers and joggers, and asks dog owners to keep pets leashed and pick up after them. AllTrails labels its longer 21.9-mile version of the route "No shade." Even on mild October days, bring water and a hat.

The Next Segment Is Aimed at Country Club Road

The trail's future is being built toward the Upper Valley's southern end. On June 18, 2026, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation and the City of Sunland Park broke ground on a new Rio Grande Trail. It will run 10 miles, with five on each side of the river. It starts at Western Playland and Mender Park on Calle Carrousel in Sunland Park and follows the river to the state line near Country Club Road and Rio Bravo Drive.

That end point matters because the existing River Park Trail also ends at Country Club Road. Once the new segment is built, the Upper Valley stretch will connect directly to the Sunland Park side. The groundbreaking did not mean construction was funded, though. Jana Renner, senior program officer at the Health Foundation, told KTSM the project is "shovel-ready" and competitive for state and federal grants, and construction can start once more money comes in. No opening date has been announced. In July, El Paso Matters reported that a separate short Sunland Park path between Racetrack Drive and Frontera Road is already open. That path does not connect to the Upper Valley.

According to the Foundation, Friends of the Trail, a volunteer group, is seeking funding for landscaping and amenities along the trail.

Sundays on Mesa Have a Different Theme Each Week

After a morning on the trail, the Upper Valley Artist & Farmers Market runs every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mesa Plaza, 7930 N. Mesa St., in the Hobby Lobby parking lot. The market's October and November 2026 vendor pages show a theme for each Sunday:

The $50 prices on those pages are vendor-space fees. The operator lists no admission price for shoppers. The Visit El Paso directory still says the market rotates between Mesa Plaza and the Sunset Substation. The market's own page lists Mesa Plaza every Sunday and is the more current schedule, but a quick check the morning you go costs nothing.

The November 1 market falls one week after the citywide Día de los Muertos Desfile y Festival in the Downtown Arts District on Saturday, October 24. That festival is free and runs 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the parade at 4 p.m.

North of the State Line, the Maze Closes November 8

The trail starts at the New Mexico line, and the region's big fall farm outing is just past it. La Union Maze, at 1101 Highway 28 in Anthony, N.M., is open September 26 through November 8. Regular hours are Fridays 5–9 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

For families on a school break, the farm adds daytime hours on Thursday, October 8 and Thursday, October 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Friday, October 9 and Friday, October 16, it opens at 11 a.m. and stays open until 9 p.m. Those extra days are the best chance to see the farm without the Saturday crowds.

Plan around a few details:

1. Daylight rides end at sunset. The farm says the Cow Train and the wagon ride to the pumpkin patch run only in daylight. On a Friday evening visit, the pumpkin patch wagon may already be done for the day.
2. The Haunted Maze is a separate ticket. It runs 7–9 p.m. on eligible Friday and Saturday nights in October for $13 plus tax and fees, and you also need general admission.
3. Military and senior discounts apply at the gate. Military members and seniors ages 65–75 can get 15% off in-person tickets with a valid ID. Children under 2 and guests over 75 get in free.
4. Closing weekend has extras. El Paso Matters lists a fireworks and drone show on November 7 and a Pumpkin Smash on November 7–8.

Published prices don't agree. On September 25, El Paso Matters listed gate prices of $14 on Fridays, $15.50 on non-peak weekends and $17 on peak days for ages 6 and up. The El Paso Times guide from October 1 says admission starts at $13.50. The farm's ticket page has the current price for your date.

A Fall Weekend, Laid Out

With those dates, a full weekend fits within a few miles of the river. On Saturday, start at Keisling Park after 6 a.m., when the County trail opens for the season, and ride or walk north toward Vinton while it's still cool. Head up Highway 28 to La Union when the farm opens at 10 a.m., and do the wagon ride before sunset. If you have older kids, add the Haunted Maze at 7 p.m. On Sunday, go to Mesa Plaza between 11 and 3 for whichever theme that week has. That plan works for four more weekends. After the maze's last day on November 8, the trail and the Sunday market are what's left.

If you're thinking about how close you'd like to live to the river trail, or comparing parts of the west side by where the next trail segments are headed, the team at Center Real Estate is happy to talk it through in English or Spanish. Reach out with your questions, and we'll share what we know about the Upper Valley.