In 2016, community leader Lee Rimel got a phone call that changed Eagle County’s trails forever. A U.S. Forest Service (USFS) employee tipped him off quietly. The budget had been cut, and without funding for a summer ranger, 26 trained trail workers would have no supervision and no coordinated trail work that season. Rimel called his friend Jamie Malin, co-founder and President of the VVMTA. Within days, the two of them were sitting across a table in Minturn with then USFS District Ranger Aaron Mayville, asking one simple question – how much would it cost to ensure trails were going to be maintained?
The answer was $60,000. A summer USFS ranger at $25,000. A VVMTA hired Adopt A Trail coordinator at $25,000. Tools and equipment at $10,000. They had three months to raise it. By that afternoon, a local individual had pledged $5,000. The next morning, the Singletree community committed another $5,000. Rimel and Malin looked at each other and said, no problem. That was the beginning of the Adopt A Trail program.
Ten years later, the Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) is proud to celebrate a full decade of the Adopt A Trail (AAT) program in Eagle County. What started as a community response to a funding gap has grown into one of the most successful public lands stewardship programs in the region, and one of the most deeply human things we do.
From 30 Teams to 68 – A Decade of Growth
The Adopt A Trail program launched in 2016 with 30 volunteer teams caring for 30 USFS trails. Today, it includes 68 teams working across more than 60 trails and open spaces throughout Eagle County, now spanning land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Eagle County, municipalities, homeowners associations, metro districts, and other public and private land partners.
Adopt A Trail is also bigger than its team roster. The program today includes three additional components that extend its reach across the county
- The Youth Trail Stewards Program, which brings the next generation of stewards onto the trails
- The VVMTA Wednesday Night Volunteer Trail Crew, open to anyone who wants to show up and work
- The Ladies Trail Crew, a beloved and growing force on Eagle County’s trails
Ten Years by the Numbers
The cumulative impact of a decade of Adopt A Trail work is hard to overstate. Here is what 9,501 volunteers have built together since 2016.
| What Got Done | Total (through June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Volunteers | 9,501 |
| Volunteer Hours | 32,222 |
| Miles of Trail Covered | 1,440 |
| Drains Built or Cleared | 6,202 |
| Social Trails Closed | 763 |
| Pounds of Trash Removed | 9,084 |
| Feet of Trail Repaired | 145,968 |
| Downed Trees Cleared | 1,055 |
| Estimated Volunteer Value | $1,035,937 |
Those numbers represent real, measurable protection of Eagle County’s public lands. They also represent something that does not show up in any spreadsheet – the inside jokes, the sore shoulders, the high fives, the friendships forged side by side on a trail that someone now feels personally responsible for. That is the part of Adopt A Trail that keeps people coming back year after year.
What the People on the Trail Actually Say
Every Adopt A Trail team logs their work after each outing – what they accomplished, what they learned, and a quote of the day. After numerous seasons of those logs, one thing is clear. People are not just showing up to clear drains. An Alpine Bank volunteer, who has maintained Half Nelson trail since 2016, said it plainly in 2025: “I’ve been working on this trail for 8 years and I love seeing the work that we’ve done.” That is not someone who feels obligated. That is someone who takes ownership and is a steward of the trail they love.
The logs carry moments like that from dozens of teams. A Ladies Trail Crew captain noted that one woman was brought to tears during a 2025 work day because she was building berms that her own kids ride. A community member captured the social pull of the program in a late-season entry: “My best friends are with VVMTA. You meet the absolute best people at trail nights.” And in a quiet moment of full-circle connection, a volunteer with Slifer Smith & Frampton – one of VVMTA’s original 2016 Adopt A Trail Eagle County partners – was asked on trail in 2025 whether she was related to Lee Rimel. Her answer: “Yeah, he’s my dad, but he’s more into the trail than I am.” Ten years of stewardship. One family. One trail.
“The Adopt A Trail program in Eagle County stands as a testament to what is possible when local communities partner with public land agencies to care for the landscapes that define them. Over the past decade, this effort has strengthened the connection between people and place, transforming stewardship from an abstract ideal into a shared, on-the-ground responsibility. I still remember the day that Lee and Jamie crafted the idea in the Minturn office conference room, and I’m thrilled to see it thriving and so well supported ten years later.”
Aaron Mayville, Forest Supervisor
Coconino National Forest (Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger, 2016)
Nationally Recognized, Locally Rooted
Two years after launch, VVMTA received the U.S. Forest Service Chief’s Honor Award in Washington, D.C. Only 12 Chief’s Awards are given each year across all forest districts in the United States. VVMTA’s Adopt A Trail program earned it for its community-based approach to public lands stewardship – national recognition of something our community has already figured out – that the people who love these trails are also the best people to care for them.
None of it happens without sustained investment from key partners. The Adopt A Trail program is grateful to the U.S. Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation’s White River Ski Conservation Fund, and Vail Resorts EpicPromise for their support over the past decade, alongside every local land manager, private donor, and volunteer who has shown up with a lopper and a good attitude.
Teams That Have Been Here Since Day One
The following organizations and communities committed to the Adopt A Trail program in its very first year and have not stopped since. Ten years is remarkable, and these teams deserve to be named.
- Alpine Bank
- AXIS Sports Medicine
- Eagle River Water and Sanitation District
- Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance
- East West Partners
- Michael Dunahay & Associates
- Pedal Power
- RA Nelson
- Singletree Community
- Slifer Smith & Frampton
- The Kind Bikes & Ski
- Town of Vail
- Vail Club 50
- Vail Mountain School
- Vail Police Department (now Vail Fire)
- Vail Recreation District
- Venture Sports
- Walking Mountains
Many more great teams have joined the Adopt A Trail family since 2016, and we are grateful for every single one. If your organization has not yet found its trail, we would love to change that.
Be Part of What Comes Next
Eagle County’s trails face growing pressure. More users, longer seasons, more demand on landscapes that require consistent care to hold up. The Adopt A Trail program is one of the most direct ways a business, organization, family, or group of friends can make a real and measurable difference. Teams commit to two to three work events per season, receive full training and tools, and come away with something most volunteer programs cannot offer – a trail they genuinely own. And it’s free. Visit vvmta.org/adoptatrail to learn more or reach out to get your team started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adopt A Trail Eagle County
What does an Adopt A Trail team actually do on the trail?
Each team adopts a specific trail or trail segment and commits to two to three maintenance events per season. Work includes clearing drainage features, lopping overgrowth, closing social trails, removing fallen trees, and repairing tread. VVMTA provides all training, tools, and on-trail coordination – teams just need to show up. After each outing, teams submit a short maintenance log so land managers have a real-time picture of trail conditions across Eagle County.
How does the Adopt A Trail program benefit public land managers?
Land managers across Eagle County – including the USFS, BLM, Eagle County Open Space, and local towns – rely on Adopt A Trail teams to extend their capacity far beyond what staff alone can accomplish. Teams monitor trail conditions throughout the season, identify emerging issues early, and complete maintenance work that would otherwise go undone due to limited public agency budgets. The program was created to fill exactly that gap, and it has been doing so for ten years.
Can individuals volunteer without joining a formal team?
Yes. While the Adopt A Trail program is built around committed teams, VVMTA offers multiple ways for individuals to get involved throughout the season. The Wednesday Night Volunteer Trail Crew and Ladies Trail Crew are open to anyone and go out regularly. The VVMTA volunteer page has a full calendar of opportunities, and the Trail Ambassador program is another great way to stay connected to the trails you love.
How do I get my business or organization started with Adopt A Trail?
Getting started is simple. Visit vvmta.org/adoptatrail and contact VVMTA Trail Stewardship Coordinator Natalie at natalie@vvmta.org. She will walk you through trail availability, what the seasonal commitment looks like, and how to get your team trained and on the trail. Most teams are up and running within a single season. The only thing you need to bring is the will to show up.
