Twelve Years to Understand One Trail The first few summers that I lived in our valley was an exciting time of exploration. Everything was new and I wanted to experience the surrounding outdoors and public lands to its fullest, whether it was heading into the Holy Cross Wilderness for a backpacking trip or mountain biking
July Isn’t So Dry – Monsoon Season Begins, and Trail Loraxes Grin! Despite what can feel like relentless heat at times, summer monsoon rains finally brought much needed moisture to the Vail Valley. Fingers crossed these monsoon rains carry into the end August as we continue to battle ongoing drought, warm temperatures, and water scarcity.
Learning to Care for the Land They Grew Up On In 2025, fourteen local high school students representing nearly every high school in Eagle County joined the inaugural class of the Eagle County Youth Corps. Over two weeks, they learned trail work, teamwork, and stewardship on the same trails they grew up hiking. For participants,
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, USFS seasonal trail workers would have no supervision and no coordinated trail work that season. Rimel called
Trails and Stewardship Crew May was a big month on the trail for the Trails and Stewardship Crew (TSC). The crew covered 54 miles of trail while focusing on clearing trees, making trails accessible, improving campgrounds and trailheads, and caring for the places our community loves to explore. Keeping Trails Open and Accessible One of
Think back to the first time you stepped onto a trail. Maybe you were uncertain about what you’d find out there. Maybe the signs didn’t quite make sense, or you weren’t sure if you were welcome. For many of us, that feeling faded with time and experience. For a large part of Eagle County’s Latino
This year was a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish together for the trails and public lands we love. As a community, we put more people, more care, and more heart on the ground than ever before, and the impact is visible from Eagle to Vail and beyond. One of the proudest milestones was
The Eagle County Youth Corps (ECYC) debuted this summer, giving local 16-18 year old high schoolers a real field experience in stewardship and recreation management, and a clear first step toward outdoor careers. They arrived as students, and they left as stewards. The first season of the ECYC proved what happens when local youth take
It is that time of the year when we begin to trade in bike shoes and trail runners for ski boots and layers of winter gear. It is the familiar change of seasons in the mountains, a reminder that as we move from one outdoor adventure to the next, we also take time to look
Following a record-breaking season for VVMTA’s Adopt-A-Trail and volunteer programs, our Youth Trail Stewards have once again proven that the future of outdoor stewardship in Eagle County is bright. This year, over 370 youth volunteers contributed 945 volunteer hours of hands-on trail work and environmental education across 15+ events, from Avon to Eagle and beyond.
September has wrapped the trails in gold, with aspen leaves shimmering and crisp mountain air adding extra magic to every mile. Volunteers have been out embracing the season—digging, clearing, and giving back while surrounded by the colors of fall. Here’s to celebrating everything we’ve accomplished together so far this season: Number of Volunteer Events: 115
As the seasons shift and the air turns crisp, Soul Dirt is still rolling strong! While summer may be behind us, our community hasn’t slowed down, instead we’ve traded long sunny evenings for cool mornings, colorful leaves, and weekend rides that fit into the school-year rhythm. This fall has been full of incredible dirt and even
August continues to bring trail magic, and thanks to some much-needed rain last week, the trails are looking better than ever! Huge shoutout to all our amazing volunteers who’ve been out digging, clearing, and spending time to give back to our community. From local teams adopting their favorite trails to youth groups jumping in to
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:
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
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
