Mel Morone has been a Trail Ambassador with VVMTA for two summers. Hailing from the great state of Maryland, she found herself drawn to the wide open spaces of Colorado after she graduated from Penn State University. In her free time, Mel enjoys a good hike —no matter the season—and loves to share her passion

If you rode, hiked, or ran here this summer, you probably felt the Trail Conservation Crew’s work under your feet. In June and July the Trail Conservation Crew focused on safer tread, better drainage, clear corridors, and a whole lot of teaching and mentoring. Here is what that looked like on the ground. Salt Creek:

July was a vibrant and action-packed month for our Trail Ambassador (TA) team. Across Eagle County’s most scenic and popular trails, our dedicated volunteers and staff logged countless miles, made invaluable visitor connections, removed trash, observed trail conditions, and reminded users about respectful wilderness use. Here’s a look at our Summer 2025 Stats:  Trail Ambassador

We are thrilled to share that thanks to your generosity, our Trails Forever fundraiser raised over $160,000 for the trails and community we love. Behind every great trail is a story of volunteers, partners, funders, and advocates, and this incredible achievement proves once again how powerful our community can be when we come together. These

Summer is in full swing, and thanks to the tireless efforts of our volunteers, July has been a month to remember on the trails! From digging new tread and clearing drains to mentoring the next generation of stewards, our community showed up in force to care for the places we all cherish.  Whether it was

Read the column in the Vail Daily Here. When you step onto your favorite trail, climbing through an aspen grove, riding a winding singletrack, or hiking in an alpine meadow, it can feel as if that experience has always been there. Many trails have been established for decades, whether from old mining exploration or agricultural

Throughout June, our TAs logged countless hours greeting trail users at popular trailheads, singletrack junctions, and scenic overlooks. Early in the month, ambassadors focused on staffing closed trailheads, helping to educate the community about seasonal wildlife closures and why they matter. When the trail closures ended on June 21st, our TAs seamlessly transitioned back onto

Our volunteers have been out in full force this summer, and June was no exception! Thanks to the dedication, sweat, and positive energy of our incredible community, we’re making meaningful strides to protect and improve the Vail Valley’s trails and wild places. Here’s a look at what we accomplished together so far this summer: Number

First published in the Vail Daily here: https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/vail-valley-mountain-trails-alliance-public-lands-bring-us-together/ As we welcome visitors to the Vail Valley this weekend and throughout the summer, we do so with a deep sense of gratitude for the incredible public lands that make this place so special. From the moment you step onto a trail, paddle on the river, or

Update 6/26 Thankfully, for now, our public lands are not going up for sale! However, there is still an ongoing effort to revise the public land sale proposal which would eliminate Forest Service land from being sold and focus on selling BLM lands within 5 miles of population centers. This still means that beloved public

As the snow melted and trails reopened, our incredible volunteer crews jumped into action this spring to restore and enhance some of our most beloved trails. From Eagle to Vail, each hour logged made a tangible impact on trail sustainability and user enjoyment. Here’s a look at what we’ve accomplished together: Volunteer Events: 23  Number

Helping you enjoy the outdoors responsibly Returning VVMTA staff, Emily Carney and Melanie Morone, have been working for the last month to help support enforcement of seasonal trail closures at trailheads. They’ve been working throughout our county to help educate users, manage our game cameras, and play a critical role in promoting the safety, enjoyment,

The transformative power of nature is no secret. Outdoor recreation has been linked to improved mental and physical health, stronger social bonds, and a deeper connection to the natural world. But in the Vail Valley, these benefits are not equitably shared. Historically excluded groups—including BIPOC residents, the Hispanic community, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with

June is here and the wildlife are on the move from lower elevations to the melting out upper elevations of our valley. They are following the snow line as it gives way to food they can consume to gain back their strength after a long winter. When you think about it, they are not too

Heatlthy Trails. Healthy People. Stronger Community. When was the last time you truly disconnected from your daily hustle, left the phone behind, and immersed yourself in the simple joys of nature? With the days getting longer and warmer, now is the perfect time to step outside, feel the dirt under your feet, and get on

How Recreation Fuels My Conservation Ethic Originally published in the Vail Daily here. The relationship between being a conservationist and an outdoor recreationalist is complicated, even paradoxical. How can someone claim to protect the land while actively using it for adventure and exploration? As someone who backcountry skis, mountain bikes, trail runs, and backpacks in

The Hardscrabble Trails Coalition (HTC), in partnership with the VVMTA is proposing 11 miles of reroutes and new trails and reroutes in Town of Eagle Open Space and adjacent lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These trails are proposed and not approved.  All of these proposals are planned to undergo further environmental

Read the Full Annual Report Here We are pleased to bring you our 2024 Annual Report.  You can read the full report here or click on an image below.  Thank you for your continued support which truly allows us to further our mission of connecting our community to the outdoors through sustainable recreation. Dear VVMTA