Bark in the Park! brings canine hikers to Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Dogs and their owners have the opportunity to enjoy a special type of bonding experience in the coming months at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

On the third Saturday of each month through October, the monument will host a Bark in the Park! hike in conjunction with Friends of Mountainair Animal Shelter (FOMAS). The events are designed to allow attendees to enjoy the trails on ranger-led hikes while being educated on responsible pet ownership in national parks.

It’s the first year the Bark in the Park! has been hosted at Salinas Pueblo Missions, but the program itself is held at more than 60 parks and monuments nationwide, according to ranger Christopher Arendt.

“We did have some 60, 70 people come out for the first one in May,” Arendt said. “… It’s a great program, and it helps to instruct people how to properly care for their pets in the parks as well as introduce these people who visit to some of the shelter pets from the Friends of Mountainair Animal Shelter that might be looking for loving forever homes.”

During the event, a brief ceremony will certify owners as a B.A.R.K. Ranger, which shows they understand the general guidelines for bringing their dogs into national parks. B.A.R.K. stands for:

B: Bag your pet’s waste.

A: Always leash your pet.

R: Respect wildlife.

K: Know where you can go.

“Then they get a little tag to put on their pet’s collar, and sometimes we’ll have buttons for the human owners, as well. So they get sworn in with their dogs,” Arendt said. “It’s kind of like the Junior Ranger program, but with the focus being on people’s pets.”

Those without pets are also encouraged to attend the Bark in the Park!, because it’s possible they could make a connection with an animal through FOMAS. Regardless of whether an adoption occurs, it’s beneficial for those dogs, as well. FOMAS staff members and dogs from the shelter will be wearing blue vests so they will be easily identifiable.

“Even if none get adopted at the event, it’s a great opportunity to exercise with shelter pets and introduce them to other animals,” Arendt said. “Socializing them with other dogs is important so that they integrate themselves well into families when they get adopted.”

Bark in the Park! is free to attend and doesn’t require advance registration. It takes place at the Quarai unit of the Salinas Pueblo Missions, which is located at the base of the Manzano Mountains, approximately nine miles north of Mountainair. Those who attend will likely get tours of the ruins and the Spanish Corral Trail, which was the focus of extensive maintenance ahead of the program.

Since the weather is hot, water is readily available for the dogs, and first aid kits are on hand in case an animal has a run-in with a cactus. The rangers are also trained extensively in rattlesnake removal. Not all of these are common occurrences, but it’s best to be thorough, Arendt says.

“We try to make the whole experience as safe and comfortable as we can for the people and their pets,” he added.

Bark in the Park! brings canine hikers to Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument