Help Keep Colorado Trails Beautiful: Volunteer Opportunities

From wildfires to hailstorms and flash flooding, Mother Nature seems to always have something in store for Western Colorado. The impact of weather events in an already “high-use” area means the trails around Grand Junction need a lot of care.

From the overgrown brush to ruts from the last rainstorm, we would not be able to hike to Liberty Cap or through Bangs Canyon without the trail volunteers who help keep these places safe and open. Ever wonder how you could be one of them?

Who Manages Trails in the Grand Valley?

We are so lucky to have tons of great hiking options around Grand Junction. From the Colorado National Monument to the Grand Mesa, we have several organizations and volunteers to thank for helping to keep our hiking trails in great shape. Those most responsible include:

• BLM Grand Junction Field Office
  The BLM Grand Junction Field Office manages nearly 1 million acres of public lands around Grand Junction, including Rabbit Valley, Bangs Canyon, offering trails, camping, and hands-on conservation activities for locals and visitors.
• City of Grand Junction Parks & Recreation
  From Lunch Loop trails to Eagle Rim Park, Grand Junction Parks & Recreation keeps our city’s green spaces, recreation programs running, helping us all stay active and connected.
• Mesa County Public Works
  Mesa County Public Works handles road maintenance, drainage, and overall improvements throughout the county. They work on keeping roads drivable and trails accessible. They are a big help in checking for erosion events following storms.
• Colorado Parks & Wildlife
  Colorado Parks & Wildlife manages state parks like Highline Lake and Vega State Park, protects wildlife habitats, and offers outdoor education programs, fishing, and hunting opportunities.

Many of these organizations maintain calendars or newsletters announcing volunteer opportunities. Signing up is quick, often requiring a simple waiver and RSVP to receive the location of the project.

What Is Trail Maintenance?

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Most volunteer activities will include tasks like clearing overgrowth, assisting with drainage issues, rebuilding eroded trail sections, removing litter, removing invasive species, and maintaining signage. The following groups offer frequent volunteer opportunities in the Grand Junction area:

• COPMOBA (Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association): This group does a great job helping with multi-use trails and mountain bike trails. You can often find them working around the Lunch Loops, Palisade Plunge, or Kokopelli Loops.
• Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado: This group coordinates multiple projects in Western Colorado, including some overnight volunteer trail camps.
• BLM Grand Junction Field Office: Following BLM GJ on Facebook is a good way to spot their posts regarding volunteer days.
• City of Grand Junction Parks & Recreation: Cleanup days often feature urban trails like the ones along the riverfront and at connected lakes.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities for Trail Lovers

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) helps maintain trails and natural areas statewide by organizing volunteer trail work and restoration projects. Join them for Cottonwood Caging on the Dolores River or Cascade Falls Park Trail Maintenance in Ouray. You can also schedule a day to assist with Trail Maintenance at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

 Join RiversEdgeWest for the Fall Colorado River Cleanup on Saturday, September 13th. 

Join the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association for an upcoming Kokopelli Loops Trail Day. Volunteers will work on trail tread repair, erosion, and brush trimming on the popular Kokopelli Loops near Fruita.

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