Outdoor economy climbs in New Mexico, fresh federal data shows

Local bike shop owner Erik Faria’s journey into the outdoor recreation business started before he could even tie his shoes.

“My father and mother were avid cyclists, and they actually rode me to preschool on the back of a tandem (bicycle),” Faria said. “So I've been around cycling all my life. I just have always had a passion for it.”

Faria’s passion eventually led him from his home state of California to New Mexico, where he studied cycling at the University of New Mexico and has lived for almost 30 years. Today, Faria is the owner of Fat Tire Cycles — an Albuquerque bike sales and repair business he acquired in 2021 after working there for more than 15 years.

Faria is one of several business owners across New Mexico who have built a living around the state’s outdoor experiences. Fat Tire Cycles has opened two new locations in the past five years, growing its footprint to a total of three shops. Faria said the business has also tripled its staff, currently at 36 employees, and seen a steady increase in sales since 2021.

“For the bike industry, the slow season is always November to February, so there are slow months, but the consistency seems to be growing over time,” Faria said.

Faria’s experience aligns with growth the state’s outdoor recreation industry has seen as a whole over the last few years. In 2024, the industry contributed $3.6 billion to the state’s economy, supported 31,454 jobs and accounted for 2.5% of New Mexico’s gross domestic product, according to recently released federal data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, or BEA.

BEA has been tracking the nation’s outdoor recreation economy since 2012. The bureau usually releases these statistics in November, but last year’s lengthy federal government shutdown in the fall delayed the latest report, which came out on March 5.

Outdoor recreation’s 2024 economic impact in New Mexico was up from 2023, which saw a contribution of $3.2 billion and 29,182 jobs, accounting for 2.4% of that year’s state GDP. For both years, RVing, boating and fishing, and snow activities were the top economic drivers.

“New Mexico has tremendous assets — from our public lands to our outdoor businesses — that position us to compete in this growing sector,” said New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rob Black in a statement. “The outdoor recreation industry creates jobs and opportunity while improving the quality of life for New Mexicans and improving the visitor experience for our guests.”

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham named outdoor recreation as a target industry for economic growth in 2019, the same year that she signed legislation creating the state’s Outdoor Recreation Division. The division’s formation came a year before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which many say played a major role in getting more people outdoors.

“I know there was a big rise in those numbers as a result of people realizing — after being at home during the pandemic times — that the ability to get out and do some physical exercise helped everybody psychologically and mentally to relax,” Faria said.

Faria was pleasantly surprised by 2024’s numbers and said they are likely a continued reflection of growing awareness of the state’s outdoor offerings.

Jarrett Sasser — owner of High Desert Angler, a fly-fishing shop in Santa Fe — agreed.

“It makes sense for our state, I mean, that’s what we do,” Sasser said, citing New Mexico’s “vast landscapes” and places to explore.

Sasser came from Austin, Texas, to the Land of Enchantment in 1989. Like many people, he didn’t think New Mexico had much water to explore but was thrilled to find a decent number of streams and lakes for fishing.

He acquired High Desert Angler — created in the late 1980s — in 2001, hoping to establish a sustainable career and support his growing family. In addition to selling premier fly-fishing gear, the shop offers guided trips, which draw returning customers from throughout New Mexico and as far as Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Fishing and boating contributed a little more than $101 million to New Mexico’s economy in 2024. While recreational flying only contributed $15.4 million, it was the state’s fastest-growing activity, with 12% year-over-year growth. Bicycling contributed the least of the activities listed in the BEA’s report at $12.5 million — but the sector was anything but stagnant.

New Mexico’s warm climate, short travel times from cities to outdoor recreation spots and increasingly more and improved trail systems are what make the state a cyclist’s dream, Faria said.

“I’m always fascinated that I’m able to ride new trails every year,” Faria said. “They’re getting better and better. It’s a slow process but it’s kind of neat to see that happening all over.”

Since 2019, the Outdoor Recreation Division has invested $33.9 million in trails and outdoor infrastructure projects, as well as awarded $8.7 million through the Outdoor Equity Fund.

The fund, created to expand youth access to the outdoors, has helped 188 organizations in 23 counties connect more than 106,000 youth with outdoor experiences. New Mexico was the first state to create such a fund, and the New Mexico Legislature recently allocated an additional $3.5 million for the fund in the fiscal year 2027 budget.

In a statement, Nature Niños Founder and Executive Director Sarah Candelaria said the nonprofit sees “firsthand how transformative a first outdoor experience can be” for the state’s youth.

“When young people feel welcomed in nature,” she added, “they build confidence, belonging, and curiosity about future careers. This funding allows us to continue expanding access and growing the next generation of conservationists.”

Teresa Ana Martinez, executive director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, said the funding also builds the next generation of Farias and Sassers by “ensuring that young people who may have never seen themselves in conservation or outdoor careers now have a clear pathway forward.”

The path ahead for the industry overall appears bright, according to Faria, who emphasized the importance of people shopping locally and getting outdoors for the industry to stay on track.

“It’s good for your spiritual, physiological and psychological well-being; it’s good for everybody in different ways,” Faria said. “You don’t need a fancy bike, you just need something that rolls, so we hope that people continue taking advantage of that and we can support the community and continue to grow.”

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.