National Trails Day is a nation-wide event designed to recognize all the incredible benefits trails provide for recreation and exposure nature.
To celebrate National Trails Day, take the pledge to become a #PublicLandsProtector and commit to take action in 2020 to protect our trails and support our work.
Then get outside (while following COVID-19 trail use guidelines) and share why trails are important to you. Tag #NationalTrailsDay and #DurangoTrails in your social posts to share.
As of May 12, 2020, La Plata County and the San Juan National Forest have enacted Stage I Fire Restrictions.
Under the restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:
Building, maintaining, attending, or using any type of fire, campfire, coal or wood burning stove, any type of charcoal fueled broiler, or the burning of any material on public or private property. The use of charcoal or gas barbecue grills, ovens or smokers on private property is not prohibited.
Smoking, in or on all City-owned, operated, or managed property, including but not limited to: all sidewalks, parks, recreation areas, open space, natural lands, reservoirs, the Animas River corridor, the Animas River Trail, and all other trails within the City. This restriction does not prohibit designated smoking areas.
Using explosive material (i.e., fireworks, blasting caps, or any incendiary device which may result in the ignition of flammable material).
Welding and/or operating an acetylene or similar torch with an open flame, except that, as long as a fire watch individual is on site and readily available with proper hand tools and either one 2 ½ gallon pressurized fire extinguisher, one 5 pound ABC extinguisher, or pressurized water supply, welding and/or operating an acetylene or similar torch with an open flame in a 20-foot radius safe zone free of vegetation is not prohibited
Operating or using any internal combustion engine, except that operating or using any internal combustion engine equipped with an approved, properly installed, and properly maintained spark-arresting device meeting either Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1 or Society of Automotive Engineers recommended practice J335(b) and J350 (a) is not prohibited.
The purpose of these orders are to decrease the risk of fire and to maximize scarce resources otherwise needed to respond to the COVID-19 health crisis.
Please follow all local fire restrictions and help keep our lands safe!
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 Trailsis doing and our recommendations for safe trail use during this time.
TRAILWORKEVENTS 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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