durangotrails – Durango Trails

Seasonal Wildlife Closures Dec. 1 through April 15

Posted on November 23, 2021November 23, 2021 by durangotrails

Video campaign highlights the importance of respecting seasonal wildlife closures in Durango – in effect Dec. 1, 2021.

Ever wonder why certain trails in Durango have seasonal wildlife closures? During the winter months, deer and elk need safe harbors and seasonal wildlife closures are essential for the animals to survive. Even when there is no snow on the ground these areas are critical for animals to make it through the winter. That’s why Durango Trails this week launched an informational and educational video campaign aimed at educating and inspiring users to follow certain etiquette and safety guidelines when traveling on trails in Durango and the surrounding area. The first video, “It’s Up To Me,” highlights the importance of abiding by the winter seasonal wildlife closures.

It’s up to me. It’s up to us. It’s up to all of us to protect wildlife in Colorado.

The seasonal wildlife closures go into effect Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2021, until April 15, 2022, on the following areas:

Grandview Ridge

Big Canyon and Sale Barn trailheads (access located east of U.S. Highway 160)
Grandview BLM trails

Animas City Mountain

BLM lands above the lower loops (about 1.5 miles above the 32^nd Street Trailhead)

Twin Buttes Area

The upper trails only, as marked.

Bodo State Wildlife Areas

This area is closed with the exception of the Smelter Mountain Trail that is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dogs are prohibited.

Perins Peak

Watch the video here or by clicking the video above. Visit our Trail Conditions Report for up to date trail conditions. You can also learn more about wildlife in Colorado by visiting the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.

Campaign video made possible through Durango Trails receipt of the Partners in the Outdoors grant from the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) in partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The videos were produced by Coldstream Creative and include local talent.

Watch This: COVID-19 Video Learning Series: Passing, Dogs on Leash and Land Manager Message

Posted on May 22, 2020June 24, 2020 by durangotrails

Safe Trail Use During COVID-19

Posted on March 27, 2020May 22, 2020 by durangotrails

Updated May 22, 2020.

The Colorado Stay at Home Order that went into effect March 26 was changed to a “Safer-at-Home” order on April 27th. It continues to allow exercise outside the home, and travel via foot, bike or car to trailheads. Outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, fishing, biking, or running are still permitted under the order. State parks will remain open for the previously-mentioned activities.

The COVID-19 situation and subsequent Stay at Home Order by San Juan Basin Health is not something to be taken lightly. Getting exercise and getting outside is extremely important for our well-being and mental health, but we must keep open spaces safe and uncrowded. Here’s what Durango Trails is doing and our recommendations for safe trail use during this time.

TRAILWORK EVENTS ARE POSTPONED

All Durango Trails trail building events, parties, and other social events are postponed until such time as group activities are deemed safe again. We continue to look forward to our upcoming 2020 Trailwork Kick-Off Event, as well as our 30th Anniversary Celebration, and we will update you when new dates have been chosen for both.

TRAILS: THE GATEWAY TO OUTDOOR RECREATION

The current guidelines list biking, walking, hiking and other outdoor activities as essential, permitted activities while following social distancing. In order to comply with all social distancing orders, do not organize a group activity of more than 10 people and maintain a distance of 6 feet between all. Please remember, no matter how you choose to get outdoors, social distancing is not optional. Please abide by all guidelines and rules listed below.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Stay alert, slow down, and communicate with each other from a distance about how to proceed. With local gyms and rec centers closed, there may be new users on the trails. Now is a great time to educate the community on responsible trail use, and to be patient, exemplary stewards and neighbors. Remember, great communities build great trails and great trails build great communities.

TRAIL RUNNING

To follow proper social distancing guidelines, please do not run in groups. Please announce yourself.

DOG WALKING

Dogs must be on a leash! Please don’t put anyone at risk by not having your dog on a leash and please, always pick up after your dog.

KEEP OPEN SPACES UNCROWDED

Pick off-peak times to ride, or choose less-used trail areas. If there is no available parking at a trailhead, it is too crowded!
Ride fewer times a week.
Remember to keep your dogs on a leash; this is important to help keep everyone protected and reduce the impact on emergency services.

PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Don’t carpool, unless with household members.
Don’t do shuttle rides.
Ride solo. If you do ride with others, the intention is that you only go with people in YOUR HOUSEHOLD, and maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance at all times.
Give plenty of room to all users on the trail. Instead of the MTB Lean, step off the trail and lift your bike with you to let others pass. Please don’t take a longer path and ride off-trail to avoid users.
Check out our video learning series on current best trail practices
When in doubt, remember the llama rule!

AVOID CONTAMINATION

While masks are not required while recreating, please be conscious of conditions where passing one another at close proximity is required. Watch our video learning series on safe passing and keep a mask in your pack when needed, or for visiting public areas and shops.
Don’t ride if you are sick.
Avoid touching others’ bikes, racks or equipment like pumps and tools.
Don’t share drinks, food, or anything else that goes in your mouth and can be inhaled.
Be mindful of your snot rockets and loogies.
Use the bathroom before you leave the house. Some trailhead restrooms are open but aren’t being maintained, others are closed.

KEEP TRIPS SHORT AND CONSERVATIVE

Ride and hike within your limits and don’t take risks. Now is not the time to go big; our healthcare system has enough to do without setting your broken collar bone.

KEEP IT LOCAL

If you can safely ride to the trailhead, please do so.
Do not get in your car and travel to other communities. Communities like Moab shut down camping and request visitors to stay home. They do not have the resources or infrastructure to handle visitors during this time and are trying to stop the spread of COVID-19 in their own towns.

GRAVEL RIDING

Our trails have been very busy since COVID-19 was first detected, so now is a great time to explore https://gravelmap.com/browse/colorado/durango.

No special bike required, just turn off your suspension and have a sense of adventure.

BE SAFE AND BE SMART

We want to get outside with you when this is over, please take this pandemic seriously!

RESOURCES

COVID 19 and Public Lands

Posted on March 13, 2020April 23, 2020 by durangotrails

While we strongly agree that sunshine, getting outdoors and connecting with nature is an antidote for mental and physical and health, we are also paying attention to our land managers posting around changes regarding COVID 19. We have postponed Trailwork Kick-Off until April 11.

At this point, City Open Space, BLM, Forest Service, and private trail access areas remain open. The National Park Service states: National parks and their facilities remain open during the coronavirus epidemic in the United States while National Park Service officials await further guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“To help guide the National Park Service operational response to the novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19), the NPS Office of Public Health and the U.S. Public Health Service officers assigned to the NPS are closely monitoring the situation and keeping staff informed,” Park Service acting chief spokesperson Stephanie Roulett told the Traveler in an email. “They are relying on the most updated data and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), the Office of Personnel and Management (OPM), state and local public health authorities, and coordinating with the DOI Office of Emergency Management.

“The national parks are open and facilities are maintaining continuity of operations,” she added. “The NPS is focused on ensuring employees, their families, volunteers, and visitors are safe by following the most current guidance from the CDC, OPM, OEM, and other federal, state, and local health authorities.”

The Park Service has been working to keep the public up-to-date on the situation via its public health website.

The Durango Rec Center, Chapman Hill, Durango Gymnastics and the Durango Library will close on Monday, March 16.

City of Durango facility closures effective Monday, March 16:

Durango Community Recreation Center
Chapman Hill
Durango Gymnastics
Durango Public LibraryAll previously scheduled Recreation and Library programs, as well as meeting room rentals, will be canceled during this closure period. We will be evaluating the ability to issue refunds or credits for recreation passes, memberships, and meeting room rentals. The City facility and program closures will be in effect through April 7, 2020. All other City facilities are still operating normally.During the closure, City staff will conduct a deep cleaning and disinfection of these facilities as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers.

2020 Trailwork Registration Now Open!

Posted on March 12, 2020April 23, 2020 by durangotrails

Announcing Our 2020 Trailwork Kick Off!

A note from Durango Trails: In order to do our part to flatten the curve, we have postponed our First Saturdays Trailwork Kickoff. We will continue to closely monitor the news and developments about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), and will announce our new kickoff date once we have more details in place.

For more information about what Durango Trails is doing in response to COVID-19, as well as guidance on how to safely enjoy our trails right now, click here. Stay safe and happy trails.

We are excited to introduce our brand new volunteer participation program: “First Saturdays GiveBack.” Kicking off on Saturday, April 11, the First Saturdays GiveBack program will encourage the community to join us on the first Saturday of each month for trailwork events (please note, some event dates may not fall on the first Saturday due to holidays or conditions).

The calendar for the First Saturday GiveBack program is below; the community is encouraged to sign up early and claim their time before the events fill up. All events will be capped at 15 participants and advance registration is required.

No experience is necessary and Durango Trails will provide the necessary instruction and safety tool talk as well as all tools, gloves, water and lunch for the entire crew.

When: The first Saturday of the month, from April 2 to September 2, 2020 (holidays may impact the schedule); 9am to 1pm

What to wear: Volunteers should wear closed toe shoes or boots, long pants, shirt (long or short sleeved), sun hat, sunscreen, and bring a water bottle, and rain jacket (optional). Durango Trails will provide all tools, instruction, gloves and water.

Please Register for Trailwork!

Trailwork times are from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

*POSTPONED: NEW DATE TBD* Saturday, April 11 – Trail Construction: SkyRaider SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, May 2 – Trail Construction: SkyRaider SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, June 6 – Trail Construction: SkyRaider SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, July 11 – Trail Construction: HillCrest to Rim Drive Connector SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, August 8 – Trail Construction: HillCrest to Rim Drive Connector SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, September 5 – Trail Construction: SkyRaider SIGN UP HERE

Durango Trails hosts public trailwork each month, as well as additional announced days and times, throughout the trail season. Sign up for our FREE Trail Talk E-Newsletter in the upper right hand corner of our website for details and announcements.

Happy Trails!

SW CO Gives

Posted on December 6, 2019January 27, 2020 by durangotrails

Southwest Colorado Gives is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado to inspire generosity in our five county community and increase online giving for local participating nonprofits, like Trails 2000!

Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 10, and features a $1.5 million Incentive Fund. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day will receive a portion of the fund, increasing the value of every dollar donated. Colorado Gives Day has grown to be the state’s largest one-day online giving event, raising more than $217 million since it began in 2010.

In the Durango area, trails create community and connect us. They are the training grounds for our youth, amateur and professional athletes, they are the place where we meet our friends and create connections.

Trails define us. This year we built and maintained world-class trails on Forest Service, BLM, County, City and private lands.

Your financial support is essential for our success, and we rely on your help. In this season of giving, we ask that you please contribute to DurangoTrails 2000.

Here is what we accomplished in 2019 with your generous donations:

Restoration & Tree Removal– We worked very hard on the Hermosa Creek Trial to repair the damage from the 416 fire.
Trail Construction– We built new sections on SkyRaider, Down N Out, Rocky Road, Ned’s Hill, West Cross Creek (Stagecoach), Huck ‘Em Cowgirl, and more
Trail Maintenance– We worked hard keeping trails in some of the classic areas great: Overend Mountain Park, Horse Gulch, Carbon Junction
Trail Planning and Collaboration– Once again we were fortunate to collaborate with land agency partners at the City of Durango, US Forest Service, BLM, private land owners
Colorado Trail Clean-Up: Over 125 downed trees cut and participated in various trail planning projects with area land managers; and worked with volunteer groups on trail work, including: Fort Lewis College, Durango Running Club, and various Scout troops
Education– We helped nurture the next generation of outdoor loving trail stewards through our TrailKids ecology education program
Community Engagement– We shared timely trail conditions, news, photos, video, and other helpful info on Trails2000.org and through social channels
Fundraising– We held our popular Trails 2000 Auction, the organization’s largest annual event
Celebration– We celebrated our wonderful volunteers and crew leaders at the annual Trails and Ales and Trailsgiving events.

#OptOutside this Black Friday

Posted on November 27, 2019 by durangotrails

Celebrate our trails this holiday season by choosing to #OptOutside on Black Friday!

Long known as one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Black Friday has more recently become known as a day to celebrate and reconnect with the outdoors, due to REI’s nationwide #OptOutside campaign.

Since 2015, REI has closed their stores on Black Friday, encouraging their employees & shoppers to go outdoors instead. This year, REI is not only encouraging the nation to #OptOutside, but to go even further and Opt to Act — by getting outside, working together to clean up our outdoors, and acting all year long to help make a difference in our environment.

We hope this year you will join us as we #OptOutside on Black Friday by getting out on our area trails and exploring all Southwest Colorado has to offer (you can check current trail conditions here before you head out). And while you’re out, Opt to Act as well; by cleaning up any waste you might come across, being mindful of your own footprint, and contributing to clean outdoor spaces. You can continue to make a difference by giving to ouryear-end campaign so we can continue our year-round work planning, building and maintaining our area trails.

At Durango Trails 2000, we witness firsthand the connection that trails create within our community, and the joy that comes along with that connection. Our team is committed to the mission and we firmly believe that Great Communities Build Great Trails and Great Trails Build Great Communities.

Your support is what makes this possible.

We hope that after connecting with the outdoors this Black Friday, you’ll also consider contributing to Trails 2000, so that we can all choose to #OptOutside and Opt to Act a little more often.

Happy Trails!

2019 Highlights: What Your Contribution Helped Us Accomplish

Posted on November 22, 2019January 27, 2020 by durangotrails

In the Durango area, trails create community and connect us. They are the training grounds for our youth, amateur and professional athletes, and they are the place where we meet our friends and create connections.

This year, your contributions enabled our team to build and maintain world-class trails on Forest Service, BLM, County, City and private lands. Working with our strong volunteer team, we were able to achieve so much to further the future of outdoor recreation in our area.

Here are just some of the great things we were able to accomplish in 2019 with your support:

Restoration & Tree Removal

Our team worked very hard on the Hermosa Creek Trail to repair the damage from the 416 fire.

Trail Construction

We built new sections on SkyRaider, Down N Out, Rocky Road, Ned’s Hill, West Cross Creek (Stagecoach), Huck ‘Em Cowgirl, and more.

Trail Maintenance

Our trailwork crews worked hard to keep trails great in some of the classic areas: Overend Mountain Park, Horse Gulch, and Carbon Junction.

Trail Planning and Collaboration

Once again, we were fortunate to collaborate with land agency partners at the City of Durango, US Forest Service, BLM, and private land owners. We are currently underway with 2020 planning; trail projects take time and we continue to work with our land manager partners on project proposals.

Trailwork

Over 125 downed trees were cut when our team participated in various trail planning projects with area land managers. We also worked with volunteer groups on trail work, including Fort Lewis College, Durango Running Club, and various Scout troops.

Education

We helped nurture the next generation of outdoor-loving trail stewards through our TrailKids ecology education program.

Community Engagement

We shared timely trail conditions, news, photos, videos, and other helpful info on Trails2000.org and our various social channels to inspire our community to connect with our area trails.

Fundraising

We held our popular Trails 2000 Auction, our organization’s largest annual event.

Celebration

We celebrated our wonderful team of volunteers and crew leaders at the annual Trails & Ales party and Trailsgiving events.

The above accomplishments would not have been possible without you!

Your financial support is essential for our success, and we are relying on your help to accomplish even more in 2020.

In this season of giving, please consider contributing to Durango Trails 2000.

Your contributions will allow us to continue our work and connect our community on the trails.

Our team is so grateful for all of our contributors’ ongoing support. We couldn’t do what we do with YOU, and we look forward to all we’ll accomplish together in 2020!

See you on the trails!

Winter Trail Conditions Page

Posted on November 22, 2019December 31, 2021 by durangotrails

Durango Trails 2000 will be moving over to the Winter Trail Conditions page on November 22. All trail reports are welcome in order to keep the page up to date with current information. Happy Trails!

Trail Conditions

E-bike meeting

Posted on November 19, 2019 by durangotrails

The City of Durango will host a public meeting on Wednesday, November 20. The joint boards (Natural Lands and Parks and Rec) advisory board will meet at 5pm and the public comment begins at 6pm. The meeting is taking place at the Rec Center.

Trails 2000 is now Durango Trails!