Our best guess is that the Trail Sale began somewhere between 2001-2003. Those early years were a bit hit or miss, with the Trail Sale weekend bouncing around the calendar from season to season and some years not happening at all. Then at last, in 2012, the Trail Sale finally found its forever home on the third weekend of October, when the leaves are at their peak and the Jemez Valley is at its most beautiful.
Lin Seeling, Leone Wilson, and the [then] Jemez Valley Business Association (JVBA) had an incredible idea; they wanted to organize a valley-wide event that would give back directly to the amazing residents who call the Jemez Valley home. Lin and Leone were well-acquainted with Tennessee’s renowned 127 Corridor Sale, a yard sale that commenced as a 358-mile event in 1897 and has since expanded to an impressive 690 miles, spanning from Alabama to Michigan. Recognizing this phenomenon, they set about promoting a yard sale that would traverse the length of the valley, from San Ysidro to La Cueva, and named it the 26-Mile Trail Sale.
In 2013, Dick Nelson, the Jemez Valley Community Association (JVCA), and the Jemez Springs Lodger’s Tax Board joined the Trail Sale team and together, grew the Trail Sale into the massive valley-wide event it is today. Dick coordinated with CWW Feed and WEEKENDS to create and sell the still-popular “Jemez Springs – Just South West of Normal” t-shirts as a Trail Sale fundraiser.
In 2015, the 26-Mile Trail Sale’s name was changed to the Jemez Mountain Trail Sale to better coordinate with our scenic byway, the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. This name change also allowed anyone along the 163-mile Scenic Byway, which starts in Los Alamos, continues west to La Cueva, then on to Cuba, east to San Ysidro, and north again to La Cueva, to participate in the annual event. We are happy to announce that this will be Cuba, NM’s third year as a Trail Sale participant.
Every year, the two most common questions are “What can I sell?” and “Where can I sell?” The answer to the first question is simple: if it’s legal, you can sell it. For residents living on or near Hwy 4, the answer to the second question was also easy: sell on your own property. But for non-resident sellers and those who do not live near Hwy 4, the answer was a bit trickier. Then, in 2013, the idea of cluster locations was born when businesses and residents along Hwy 4 generously offered their parking lots and properties to local and non-local sellers on Trail Sale weekend. With the where-can-I-sell problem finally resolved, the Trail Sale’s success was guaranteed.
The Jemez Mountain Trail Sale is a true testament to the power of community. Over the years, many people have contributed to its success, but Jemez Valley residents are the heart and soul of this event. The Trail Sale was born out of a desire to bring attention to the Valley and give back to its residents. And boy, did it ever! The Jemez Mountain Trail Sale attracts yard sale enthusiasts from all over New Mexico and the United States who come to Jemez Mountains to participate in the event and to enjoy the stunning autumn colors. Residents benefit directly from the event by selling items that they already own or that they themselves create.
From San Ysidro to La Cueva, there’s no way to know exactly how many yard sales make up Trail Sale weekend each year as the sales come and go by the hour. By some counts, the valley sees as many as 200 individual sellers throughout Trail Sale weekend, some only selling for a few hours, others sell the full two days.
Cluster locations will be announced in August for this year’s Trail Sale so stay tuned to this https://jemezvillage.com/community/jemez-mountain-trail-sale/ and www.Facebook.com/JemezMountainTrailSale for details and updates. Happy Trail Sale!
