Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails Announces Sale of Rancho del Chaparral to Pueblo of Jemez

October 08, 2026

Sale supports long-term sustainability and expands opportunities for girls across New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., October 8, 2026 — Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails (GSNMT) today announced that it has completed the sale of Rancho del Chaparral to the Pueblo of Jemez.

For GSNMT, the sale is significant because of who will steward the land next. Rancho has been a touchstone for our Girl Scout community for decades, and we are grateful that the Pueblo of Jemez will shape its future.

The Pueblo of Jemez shared the following statement about the significance of the purchase and its plans for the land:

Jemez Pueblo is very fortunate to purchase the Chapparal Girls Scout property located within the Pueblo’s ancestral lands. Leadership feels a strong need to reconnect with its ancestral lands and to regain the lands that were once traversed and occupied by its ancestors. The land will give tribal members the opportunity to rediscover and explore the cultural landscape that is mentioned in the Pueblo’s tribal history.

The Pueblo of Jemez intends to use this property for educational purposes, recreation, mental health, retreats, and other community functions. Tribal members especially our youth, will reconnect with the cultural landscape which in a broad sense is a living classroom, a church, hospital and playground. The Chapparal Girls Scouts property will be a place to learn lessons in history, biology, ecology, survival and mental, physical and spiritual health. To better manage the property, a management plan for the conservation and protection of all its cultural and natural resources will be considered by the pueblo so future generations can enjoy the benefits of this amazing cultural landscape."

“This moment carries a lot of weight for our Girl Scout community,” said Celia Tellez, Chief Executive Officer of GSNMT. “So many girls, families and volunteers have memories tied to Rancho. We’ll carry those memories with us as we look ahead to what this sale can make possible for girls across New Mexico.”

“Governor John Galvan said he was pleased with the approval from the Tribal Council to proceed with the purchase. Our administration and Tribal Council believe this is an extremely important purchase because of its location within our ancestral lands and the benefits that can be gained by its uses by our tribal members and future generations.”

The $4.7 million purchase price gives GSNMT a one-time opportunity to invest in the Council’s long-term sustainability, reach more girls and communities across New Mexico, better support existing troops, and strengthen outdoor programming and other Girl Scout experiences.

GSNMT will develop a long-range property plan for Camp Elliott Barker and its Albuquerque Service Center, exploring how both spaces can support more programming. The sale will also help the Council expand community-based experiences and build the capacity to reach more girls across New Mexico.

“We want more girls to experience Girl Scouts, wherever they live,” Tellez said. “This sale gives us the opportunity to test new ways to reach them, corner to corner across New Mexico.”

About Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails

Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails empowers over 5,000 girls and adults across 23 counties in Central and Northern New Mexico, including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Gallup, Farmington, Las Vegas, and Clovis. As an independent 501(c)3 organization and a proud member of Girl Scouts of the USA, we build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

About the Pueblo of Jemez

The Pueblo of Jemez is a federally recognized tribe located in north-central New Mexico, approximately 50 miles northwest of Albuquerque. We are one of the remaining 19 pueblos of New Mexico, encompassing over 89,000 acres of land and home to over 3,400 tribal members. The people of Jemez cherish their ancestral traditions, and are proud to integrate their culture with modern society.