The City of Albuquerque acquired what became the Placitas Open Space from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1966 under the federal Recreation and Public Purposes Act which requires that it must be used for recreation. In 1995, after opposition from Placitas community members to a proposal put before the Albuquerque Open Space Advisory Board to put a shooting range on the property, community members decided to take a proactive effort toward the management of the open space.

The POS Master Plan calls for low-impact recreation which includes hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Each year, Las Placitas Association sponsors a series of hikes and activities on the Open Space which are free for anyone interested in learning about the natural and cultural heritage of this high desert area. These hikes included Birds of Placitas, Native Plants of the Placitas High Desert, Archeology Hike, and Mountain Bike the Open Space.