Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Youth Corps Association to fund $398K in trail maintenance

(Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

By Steven Bonifazi / NewsBreak Denver

(DENVER, Colo.) Colorado Parks and Wildlife will partner with the Colorado Youth Corps Association to restore and repair off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails affected by wildfires and an increase in visitors.

The maintenance projects will employ 41 weeks of service corps this summer and provide youth and young adults opportunities to restore and conserve state trails, according to CPW.

Motorized trail maintenance projects and their goals this year include:

• Grand Lake-Williams Fork Fire Rehab - Rehabilitate and reconstruct Williams Fork/Keyser Creek and Grand Lake Trail Systems such as signage, kiosks, resource protection fencing, trail structures and routes.
• Rainbow Trail Maintenance - Reroute seven miles of the trail and restore its continuity and access to public lands. Additionally, mitigate safety threats including hail damage and hazardous trees.
• Killpecker/Swampcreek 2022 Trail Project - Remove dead and fallen trees and any potential tree hazards. Install size-restricted "V-Gates" on access points to lessen unauthorized users on single-track trails.
• Red Mountain Gulch Day Use Area - Pile small aspen growth and burhs for pick-up, reduce overgrowth, paint vault toilet, picnic tables and pavilion, install new signs, reinstall parking beams and establish picnic sites and trail work.
• OHV Trail Maintenance on CPRD - Remove trees, drain and tread, clean corridors and improve the trailhead.
• Penrose Commons Trail Maintenance - Improve routes and add 1,000 feet of fencing. Fix trail grade, repair drains, remove debris and trim trail corridors.
• Basalt to Gypsum Youth Corp Grant - Provide proper drainage on the trails through backlogged maintenance including clearing and constructing drainage structures, tread work, cleaning corridors and sight clearing.
• Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway - Remove all rock fire rings and install new fire rings and site posts. Also, install worm fences and log barriers.