- THE STORY OF THE COLORADO TRAIL IS ONE OF TRUE GRIT.

IT WAS HARD TO BUILD.

AND IT'S BEEN HARD TO MAINTAIN.

- WHOO, NICE!

- THIS IS A LOT OF HARD WORK.

AND IT'S ALL DONE WITH VOLUNTEERS.

- IT REALLY IS THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE TRAIL SO WONDERFUL.

- BUT WE DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THERE WILL BE LARGE AREAS OF THE TRAIL IMPACTED BY FIRE OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 2 DECADES.

- THE FOREST SERVICE IS AWARE AWARE OF THE WILDFIRE RISK.

AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER INCIDENTS COME UP.

- SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND CONSERVE THE TRAIL FOR PEOPLE TO USE FOR GENERATIONS.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - COLORADO IS GORGEOUS.

(BIRDS SINGING) THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT WALKING ACROSS MY HOME AND SEEING IT IN A WAY THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

- IT'S JUST AMAZING TO ME THAT YOU CAN WALK ON A TRAIL ACROSS ALMOST THE WHOLE STATE OF COLORADO.

AND TO ME THE REMOTENESS AND THE BEAUTY IS WHY I LIKE IT.

(BIRDS SINGING) IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

(BIRDS SINGING) - THE COLORADO TRAIL IS REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A SAMPLE OF ALL THAT COLORADO HAS TO OFFER.

SO IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH.

IT IS MESAS, IT'S VALLEYS, PLAINS, BASINS.

(BIRDS SINGING) IT'S JUST A REALLY BEAUTIFUL TRAIL THAT YOU CAN HIKE EITHER IN SMALL PORTIONS OR LARGE PORTIONS.

IN SMALL PORTIONS OR LARGE PORTIONS.

- THE COLORADO TRAIL IS A SINGLE TRACK TRAIL THAT GOES FROM DENVER TO DURANGO.

IT GOES THROUGH MANY WILDERNESSES, MANY MOUNTAINS.

IT'S JUST VERY SCENIC AND BEAUTIFUL, AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT IT.

- THIS TRAIL GOES THROUGH 6 NATIONAL FORESTS, 6 WILDERNESS AREAS, AND MANY OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE STATE.

SO WE BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TRAIL IN THE COUNTRY.

WE ALSO ROUTINELY HEAR FROM OTHERS AND BELIEVE THAT IT'S ONE OF THE BETTER MAINTAINED TRAILS IN THE COUNTRY.

(HANDSAW) (LOG BREAKS) - NICE JOB.

- STRAIGHT DROP.

- SO WHAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE FOR TRAIL WORK, WE COME UP HERE FOR 4 DAYS AND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TREES DOWN, OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY IS TO CLEAR THE TREES FROM THE TRAIL.

(ROLLING LOG) A GOOD WAY TO SWING.

THE TRAIL WILL GET OVERGROWN WITHOUT US MAINTAINING THE TRAIL AS GOOD AS IT IS.

THROUGH HIKERS COME THROUGH HERE AND THEY SAY THIS IS THE BEST TRAIL.

WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE CLEAR WHEN WE GET TO THE COLORADO TRAIL.

IT'S JUST A REALLY WELL MAINTAINED TRAIL.

(HANDSAW) SO FOR ME IT'S REWARDING TO WALK DOWN A TRAIL AND KNOW THAT YOU HAD A PART IN MAKING IT WHAT IT IS AND MAKING IT NICE FOR OTHER USERS.

THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE.

ONE MORE.

1, 2, 3.

WHOO, THE SNAP BACK.

- LOOKING AT WHAT THE COLORADO TRAIL SIGNIFIES TODAY FROM POINT A TO POINT B, TRAVELING AT HIGH ELEVATIONS AND MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND VALLEYS, THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT SYSTEM TO THE UTE PEOPLE IN GENERAL, NOT JUST BETWEEN WHAT WE KNOW AS DENVER AND DURANGO TODAY, BUT BETWEEN THE EASTERN PLAINS AND THE WESTERN SLOPE.

- THESE ARE TRAILS THAT HAVE BEEN USED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE BEFORE US.

AND THESE ARE TRAILS THAT HAVE BEEN USED BY THE PEOPLE WHO HAD A GREAT CONNECTION TO THIS LAND, PARTICULARLY MOSTLY THE UTE PEOPLE AND THE SOUTHERN UTE PEOPLE.

- UTE PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN FROM THESE MOUNTAINS.

WE WERE ALWAYS MOVING WITH THE GAME, WE WERE MOVING WITH THE SEASONS, AND THESE TRAIL SYSTEMS WERE NEEDED, AND WE RELIED ON THEM TO SUSTAIN OUR LIFESTYLE.

- WE KNOW THERE'S SECTIONS OF TRAIL OF THE COLORADO TRAIL THAT ARE ON TOP OF TRADITIONAL HUNTING LANDS AND SO OUR HOPE IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE HIKE THE TRAIL THEY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF OF WHO'S GONE BEFORE US.

- AS UTE PEOPLE WE BELIEVE THAT THE LANDSCAPES AND THE WATER THERE ARE LIVING BEINGS.

AND THAT LIFE HAS BEEN WHAT HAS SUSTAINED OUR HISTORY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE HIKER THAT'S ON ANY TRAIL OR JUST ON THE FRONT RANGE, THEY RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN THEY LOOK AROUND IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE MUCH.

IT MAY BE SAGEBRUSH HERE OR YUCCA OVER HERE OR CACTUS OVER HERE.

ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS WERE ALL UTILIZED AND CONTINUE TO BE UTILIZED BY INDIGENOUS GROUPS.

(BIRDS SINGING) - THE COLORADO TRAIL IS COLORADO'S OWN LONG DISTANCE TRAIL.

IT IS BETWEEN DENVER AND DURANGO.

IT CROSSES THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ABOUT 8 MOUNTAIN RANGES, I THINK, AND 5 RIVER SYSTEMS.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND THE MAP HERE.

I'M BILL MANNING.

I WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COLORADO TRAIL FOR 17 YEARS.

YOU CAN SEE THE SEGMENT DIVISIONS, SEGMENT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

THE COLORADO TRAIL IS BROKEN UP INTO 33 SEGMENTS, AND THIS IS THE WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLETE THE COLORADO TRAIL IN PIECES OR THEY CHOOSE TO ATTEMPT A THROUGH HIKE.

WHERE THEY'LL START AT ONE END AND THEY WORK THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER.

- THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT VARIANTS OF THE TRAIL YOU CAN DO.

YOU CAN DO THE COLLEGIATE WEST WHICH GOES THROUGH THE HIGH MEADOWS OF THE ALPINE.

YOU CAN DO THE COLLEGIATE EAST, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER, BUT IF YOU WERE TO HIKE ALL THE VARIATIONS OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, IT'S 567 MILES.

SO AS FAR AS TRAILS WE MANAGE, IT'S 567 MILES OF TRAIL THAT WE MANAGE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - THE COLORADO TRAIL WAS CONCEIVED IN THE EARLY 1970S.

OUR ORGANIZATION, THE COLORADO TRAIL FOUNDATION, CONSIDERS 1974 THE FOUNDING YEAR.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) IT WAS LARGELY BECAUSE OF GUDY GASKILL AND HOW SHE LOCKED ON TO THE PROJECT.

SHE WAS A REAL BELIEVER IN IT, AND SHE ALSO HAD HIKED ALL OVER THE WORLD ON SOME LONG TRAILS, AND SHE FELT LIKE COLORADO OUGHT TO HAVE ITS OWN LONG TRAIL.

- HERE'S GUDY IN THE GORE RANGE IN 1966.

SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN 38 YEARS OLD, I THINK.

I'M CRAIG GASKILL.

MY MOM WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND SHE ALWAYS LOVED THE OUTDOORS.

HERE SHE IS ROCK CLIMBING, RAPPELLING.

HERE'S A PICTURE OF THEM SKI TOURING LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON TOP OF CASTLE PEAK, PASS ABOVE CASTLE CREEK IN THE ELK MOUNTAINS.

MY MOM WOULD PROBABLY BE DESCRIBED AS A DYNAMO, YOU KNOW, A GO-GETTER.

SHE WOULD GET THINGS DONE.

SHE WOULD MAKE FRIENDS.

SHE WAS ALWAYS FILLED WITH ENERGY, AND SHE WAS REALLY FUN TO BE AROUND.

THERE I AM.

THAT WOULD BE ME CARRYING MY LITTLE BACKPACK ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE GRAND TETONS WITH MY MOM.

AND MY MOM WAS CALLED THE MOTHER OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, SO HIKING WAY BACK THEN, I THINK THAT WAS CONSIDERED A COMPLIMENT, AND SHE LOVED HIKING ON THE COLORADO TRAIL.

SHE PROBABLY DID THE WHOLE THING MAYBE 5 OR 6 TIMES BEFORE SHE DIED.

- WE LOST GUDY GASKILL IN 2016.

SHE WAS 89 YEARS OLD AND SHE JUST LOVED THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS.

SHE LOVED BEING IN NATURE AND SHE WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

THIS WORK TURNED INTO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS THE COLORADO TRAIL.

- NOW THE COLORADO TRAIL WAS NOT MY IDEA.

IT WAS THE IDEA OF A REGIONAL FORESTER.

HIS NAME WAS BILL LUCAS AND ALSO AN EDITOR OF COLORADO MAGAZINE.

HIS NAME WAS MERRILL HASTINGS, AND WE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING A LONG DISTANCE TRAIL IN THE STATE OF COLORADO.

- THE COLORADO TRAIL WAS REALLY THE DREAM CHILD OF SEVERAL PEOPLE IN 1974 THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A TRAIL THAT GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT WAS KIND OF FOR COLORADOANS, BY COLORADOANS THAT WOULD HIGHLIGHT JUST THE BEST THAT OUR STATE IS.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF THE EARLY PIONEERS, ONE OF WHICH THAT KIND OF ROSE TO THE TOP WAS GUDY GASKILL.

- AND I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE AT THE TIME I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE COLORADO MOUNTAIN CLUB AND ALSO HEAD OF THEIR TRAILS MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WHICH WE HAD JUST STARTED.

- MY MOM FELT LIKE THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD THIS TRAIL, BUT NO ONE COULD IDENTIFY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD IT AND WHERE THE MONEY WAS GOING TO COME FROM, SO SHE SAID WE COULD DO THIS WITH VOLUNTEER LABOR.

AND THEN SHE WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE FOREST SERVICE AND GET THEIR HELP, AND SHE GOT APPROVALS FOR ALL THE ALIGNMENTS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE STATE, THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND DISTRICTS AND FOREST SERVICE AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.

AND SHE PRETTY MUCH SINGLE-HANDEDLY WENT AND MET WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZED THE TRAIL CREWS.

- THEY LET ME PUT TRAIL CREWS ON THROUGH THE COLORADO MOUNTAIN CLUB, AND WE STARTED BUILDING THE TRAIL, AND AFTER 3 YEARS WE REALLY HADN'T BUILT A MILE OF TRAIL EXCEPT THE VOLUNTEERS THAT I HAD RECRUITED.

- THERE WAS A TIME WHEN OUR TRAIL EFFORT HAD PRETTY MUCH COME TO A HALT AND THERE WASN'T ANY PROGRESS BEING MADE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) GUDY AT THAT TIME ENLISTED THE HELP OF GOVERNOR DICK LAMM, AND HE CONTACTED KEY FOREST SERVICE PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGED THEM TO ASSIST WITH THIS PROJECT, AND FURTHER PROGRESS WAS MADE UNTIL IN 1987 THE TRAIL WAS CONNECTED END TO END.

SINCE THEN, IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY VOLUNTEER HELP THAT MAINTAINS THE TRAIL.

- AND SO SINCE 1987, OUR JOB HAS SHIFTED TO CONSERVING AND MAINTAINING THAT TRAIL.

SO OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS IN GOOD SHAPE FOR ALL OF OUR CREWS.

MY NAME IS PAUL TALLEY, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COLORADO TRAIL FOUNDATION.

- OK, EVERYBODY READY?

- TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 25 VOLUNTEERS HELPING US DO OUR ANNUAL TOOL SHARPENING, TOOL CLEANOUT, AND GEAR EXPO WHERE WE MAKE SURE WE'RE READY TO GO FOR JUST A GREAT SUMMER OF TRAIL BUILDING.

(BLADE SHARPENING) SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING TODAY IS MAKING SURE THAT THE TRAIL CREWS AND THE ADOPTERS HAVE GOOD TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO GO DO THEIR WORK, TO TRIM THE TREES, TO CLEAR THE TREES, TO DO THE WORK ON THE TRAIL.

WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT VOLUNTEER BASE FOR US TO NOT ONLY REPAIR SECTIONS OF TRAIL, BUT KEEPING THE COLORADO TRAIL OPEN AND CONTINUOUS.

THERE'S TWO MAIN WAYS THAT WE DO OUR TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND OUR TRAIL WORK AND REPAIR.

THE FIRST IS THROUGH TRAIL CREWS, AND THOSE ARE WEEKLONG VOLUNTEER CREWS LED BY VOLUNTEER CREW LEADERS THAT DO LARGE PROJECTS, BUT A LOT OF OUR DAY TO DAY WORK, THE MAINTENANCE THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY TAKE FOR GRANTED, IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH OUR TRAIL ADOPTER PROGRAM.

SO WE HAVE 28 SECTIONS OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ABOUT 116 PEOPLE, THAT HAVE ADOPTED SMALL SEGMENTS OF THE COLORADO TRAIL AND DO EVERYTHING FROM TRIM TREES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DUCK BELOW TREE BRANCHES TO TAKE OUT FALLEN TREES THAT HAVE FALLEN ACROSS THE TRAIL SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK OVER THEM.

SO BOTH OUR ADOPTERS AND OUR TRAIL CREWS ARE THE REASON THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE TRAIL LOOKING SO GOOD AND JUST WORKING SO WELL.

- SO WE WILL BE WALKING UP AND CUTTING TREES AS WE GO.

SO IF WE FIND A TREE OR SOME ISSUE LIKE THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET IT.

I AM CONNIE WIAN.

I AM AN ADOPTER OF THE COLORADO TRAIL.

MY SECTION IS ELK CREEK, A 9 MILE SECTION IN THE WEMINUCHE WILDERNESS.

IT'S A BACKPACK IN TO GET TO THE SECTION AND IT'S IN WILDERNESS, SO THERE'S NO MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT BEING USED SO IT'S ALL, HANDSAWS.

EVERYBODY GET A SAW AND SOME KIND OF A DIRT TOOL THAT'D BE GREAT.

SO IT'S A LOT OF SAW CUTTING, SO YOU'RE HAULING SAWS IN AND THEN YOU HAVE TO CARRY LIKE A 6 POUND PULASKI TO DO DRAINAGE WORK.

SO IT'S NOT ONLY BACKPACK IN FOR THIS SECTION, BUT IT'S ALSO HEAVIER THAN A REGULAR BACKPACK BECAUSE YOU'RE CARRYING TOOLS IN JUST TO GET THERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE IT'S THE LABOR TO CUT IT MANUALLY.

IT'S ALL MANUALLY DONE.

THAT'S WHY IT'S NICE TO HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - THIS IS A LOT OF HARD WORK AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYONE HERE.

WE WERE EXHAUSTED LAST NIGHT WHEN WE GOT TO CAMP AND WHAT KEEPS ME COMING UP HERE IS WE ALWAYS GET IT DONE.

1, 2, 3.

NICE!

WHEN MY FRIENDS COME OUT AND HELP, THEY ARE ALL EXCITED, THEY'RE HAPPY, AND IT'S LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WE SEE RESULTS WHEN WE DO THIS, WE SEE A HUGE PROBLEM AND WE FIX IT.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE 146 OF THESE.

I'M JUST SAYING.

- OUR EFFORTS RIGHT NOW FOCUS ON THE CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAIL IS ON FEDERAL LANDS, SO FOREST SERVICE LANDS, AND OUR LARGEST PARTNER IS THE FOREST SERVICE.

- SO THE USDA FOREST SERVICE RECOGNIZES THE COLORADO TRAIL AS TRAIL 1776, AND WE DEFINITELY RELY ON THE COLORADO TRAIL FOUNDATION TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THE TRAIL AND TO BE OUR EYES AND EARS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TRAIL.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - WE ARE AT THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, SO THIS IS THE NORTHERNMOST POINT OF THE 567 MILES OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND SO WE'RE JUST SOUTH OF THE DENVER METRO AREA.

MY NAME IS BEN LARA.

I'M THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL ADMINISTRATOR.

PRETTY WELL MAINTAINED ROAD.

SO MY ROLE AS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL ADMINISTRATOR OVERLAPS WITH THE MAIN LIAISON TO THE COLORADO TRAIL FOUNDATION BECAUSE THERE IS JUST UNDER 300 MILES OF CO-LOCATED SECTIONS OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL AND THE COLORADO TRAIL.

THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME.

DURING THE HIKING SEASON, WHEN PEOPLE ARE HIKING NORTH TO SOUTH, THIS CAN BE A REALLY BUSY PLACE FOR THROUGH HIKERS.

IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME BECAUSE THIS IS BASICALLY THE VERY START OF A MONTH LONG TREK ACROSS THE THE STATE OF COLORADO THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES THAT THE STATE HAS TO PROVIDE.

- I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN COLORADO AT A NICE SLOW PACE.

AND I THINK EXPERIENCING KIND OF A DIFFERENT VIEW OF EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE REALLY NICE.

SO THIS IS FOOD FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO PACK THESE INTO A BAG AND TRY TO GET IT ALL TO FIT.

I'M AMANDA BLACK.

I AM HIKING THE COLORADO TRAIL THIS SUMMER FROM BEGINNING TO END, SO IT'LL BE A BIG CHALLENGE.

IT'S THE FARTHEST I'VE EVER EVEN THOUGHT OF HIKING.

AND HERE'S MY WATER FILTER, MY TREKKING POLES, MY TENT, A RAIN PONCHO, MY MATTRESS, AND I'VE GOT TO TRY TO JAM IT ALL IN MY PACK.

A LOT OF THINGS INSPIRED ME TO HIKE THE COLORADO TRAIL.

THE ABILITY TO JUST GO OUT AND SEE THINGS USING YOUR OWN 2 FEET AND JUST I'M EXCITED FOR MY KIDS TO SEE ME ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING BIG.

HEY, WILL YOU TAKE A PICTURE?

- OH, THAT'S CUTE.

- WE'RE AT WATERTON CANYON.

THANK YOU.

WE ARE HEADING OUT ON THE COLORADO TRAIL THIS MORNING TO THROUGH HIKE, THE WHOLE TRAIL.

- THE FIRST FEW MILES ARE FLAT, SO THEY SHOULD BE EASY AND HOPEFULLY EASY FOR ALL OF US TO GET THROUGH THEM.

MAKE SURE WE ALL GET THERE SAFELY AND NOT TOO TIRED.

- I LOVE THE FEELING, THE CRUNCH OF THE DIRT UNDER YOUR FEET.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU CAN FEEL THE LANDSCAPE SHIFTING.

YOU QUICKLY GROW TO LOOK AHEAD AND SEE PINE TREES AND KNOW THAT THE TRAIL IS GOING TO BE SOFT UNDERFOOT.

- IT ALLOWS YOU TO FEEL ALL THE SENSES IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

EVERYTHING I HEAR, I CAN FEEL IT EVERYTHING I SEE, I CAN FEEL IT.

AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE FOREST, JUST THE SMELLS AND THE SOUND REALLY ADD THIS PEACEFUL FEELING.

AND SO IT REALLY ALLOWS YOU TO BE OUT IN COLORADO'S TRUE FORM ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - TO THIS DAY I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO HIKE THE COLORADO TRAIL.

BUT THE EXPERIENCE OF A TRUE THROUGH HIKE WHEN YOU'RE JUST OUT IN THE WOODS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND THE ONLY THING SUPPORTING YOU IS WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR BACK THAT NEVER LEAVES YOU.

SO LIKE THAT CONFIDENCE YOU GET FROM HIKING, I WILL CARRY THAT WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT THROUGH HIKE STILL STICKS WITH ME, AND YOU HAVE AN IMMEDIATE CONNECTION WITH THE NEXT PERSON WHO IS ON THE TRAIL WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL ENCOUNTERED THE SAME THING AT THAT POINT.

- AS YOU HIKE MORE AND MORE OF THE TRAIL, IT'S ONE WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY FORMED AROUND IT, SO YOU WILL MEET PEOPLE ON TRAIL, WHICH ARE YOUR TRAIL FAMILY OR YOUR OR YOUR TRAMILY, AND YOU MEET PEOPLE THROUGH THE SOCIAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - I'M NOT GONNA STEP OVER ALL THOSE LOGS AGAIN.

GET THEM OUT OF THERE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - THE OTHER THING THAT MAKES THE COLORADO TRAIL REALLY SPECIAL IN MY MIND IS THAT IT PASSES BY SO MANY TOWNS WITH RESOURCES THAT VERY MUCH DEPEND ON THE HIKERS.

SO THINKING THROUGH YOUR FAVORITE TOWN OF CREED OR MY FAVORITE LAKE CITY, THESE ARE SMALL TOWNS THAT MAKE THEIR MONEY FROM TOURISM DOLLARS, AND COLORADO TRAIL HIKERS ARE VERY MUCH A HUGE PART OF THAT.

- I REMEMBER THAT SUMMER OF COVID, YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S IN TOWN, IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD ENVIRONMENT, WE HAD HIKERS.

AND THEY'D WALK BY THE CHURCH AND THEY'D WALK BY MY HOUSE AND I JUST SORT OF ASKED MY QUESTION IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD WAS HOW CAN WE SERVE HIKERS?

FOLKS, WE LOVE THAT YOU'RE HERE.

WE WANT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR LIVES EASIER WHILE YOU VISIT OUR LITTLE TOWN.

LET US KNOW.

MY NAME IS JASON BRIAN SANTOS, AND I AM THE MINISTER OF WORD AND SACRAMENT AT COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HERE IN LAKE CITY, COLORADO.

WE HAD THIS BUILDING THAT WE CALL THE PRESBYTERIAN ANNEX THAT WE REALLY WEREN'T USING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE, AND I THOUGHT THE HIKERS ARE HERE, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL FEED THEM.

JUST A REMINDER, WE DO WANT YOU TO SIGN IN SO WE CAN BREAK 1000 HIKERS THIS YEAR AS YOU GET YOUR FOOD.

- HIKERS HAVE VERY SIMPLE NEEDS WHENEVER THEY'RE GOING INTO TOWN, SO THEY'VE BEEN ON TRAIL FOR 3, 4, 5 DAYS.

THEY WANT TO CLEAN UP.

THEY WANT TO SHOWER, THEY WANT TO LAUNDRY, THEY WANT TO EAT.

- ENJOY!

- AND SO, THE TOWNS THAT ARE REALLY KIND OF WHERE YOU FEEL WELCOME ARE THE ONES THAT ALL HIKERS TEND TO FLOCK TO AND CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO, AND LAKE CITY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

- RIGHT NOW, AS IT STANDS SINCE 2023, WE HAVE HAD THE HIKER CENTER OPEN FROM JUNE 1ST TILL SEPTEMBER 30TH EVERY DAY.

LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 90 VOLUNTEERS WHO COME DO TWO-HOUR SHIFTS HERE.

- SO THIS HIKER CENTER, IT'S A PLACE TO RELAX, HANG OUT IN THE FRONT, HANG OUT INSIDE.

THERE'S BATHROOMS, THERE'S CHARGING STATIONS, THERE'S TEA AND COFFEE AND SNACKS.

THERE'S A HIKER BOX WITH ALL SORTS OF STUFF.

BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT, I THINK THE UNIQUE THING THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN ON ANY OTHER TRAIL IS THIS SUNDAY TRADITION OF HAVING A HIKER DINNER ON SUNDAY EVENINGS.

[GONG, CHEERS] - HIKERS!

- COME ON IN.

SQUEEZE IN, SQUEEZE IN.

- LAST YEAR WE WELCOMED 32 COUNTRIES AND 49 STATES, SO THERE'S ALWAYS A MIX OF PEOPLE HERE.

MORE AND MORE WE SEE PEOPLE SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU GOTTA STOP IN LAKE CITY.

- ARE YOU ALL HIKERS HERE?

- YES MA'AM.

- MAY I JOIN YOU?

- OF COURSE.

- HIKING AND BACKPACKING, IT'S A BIG ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR A LOT OF THESE RURAL SMALL COMMUNITIES.

AND IF THE TRAILS ARE CLOSED, THAT CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THEIR RECREATION SEASON, THEIR ECONOMIC SEASON.

- THE BIGGEST THREAT WE HAVE BEEN MONITORING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW IS FIRE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ WE DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THERE WILL BE LARGE AREAS OF THE TRAIL IMPACTED BY FIRE OVER THE NEXT DECADE TO 2 DECADES.

- WE HAVE AN EXTREME FIRE WEATHER WARNING IN EFFECT.

- DROUGHT CONDITIONS, WARM WEATHER, STRONG WINDS, ELEVATED FIRE DANGER.

- HIGH WINDS AND FIRE DANGER CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN IN OUR STATE.

- SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT WILDFIRE AND GIVEN THE DROUGHT THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE IN COLORADO, WE'RE ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR ANY INITIAL ATTACK RESPONSE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE.

WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF FUELS REDUCTION PROJECTS SO THAT WILDFIRES, IF IT WERE TO START.

IT WOULDN'T GO VERY FAR.

- WE'VE REACHED A POINT IN THE WEST WHERE WE HAVE LARGE AREAS OF LAND WITH LOTS OF FUEL THAT HAS BEEN DRYING OUT NOW FOR DECADES, AND AS CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES TO JUST EVOLVE, THESE MEGAFIRES ARE A REAL THREAT.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) AND ONE OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WE FACE RIGHT NOW IS ALL THE TURMOIL THAT'S THAT'S COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) WE'VE SEEN A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE WORKFORCE OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY WORKING WITH THE USDA AND WORKING WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

MANY OF THE FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE LAID OFF WERE FIREFIGHTERS AND WERE CROSS TRAINED IN FIREFIGHTING SO THEY COULD BE PULLED OFF TO GO FIGHT FIRES, AND THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE NOW GONE.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF UNKNOWN QUESTIONS IN THE WEST ABOUT HOW FIRES WILL BE ATTACKED IN THIS NEW REALITY.

- GIVEN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAIL IS ON NATIONAL FOREST, THE FOREST SERVICE TAKES ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, TO WORK WITH THE PERSONNEL THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER INCIDENTS COME UP.

(BIRDS SINGING) - EVERY SECTION OF THE TRAIL IS MEANINGFUL TO US, AND THERE'S SOME COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT THE TRAIL AND THE LANDSCAPE IS STILL THRIVING.

YOU KNOW, THE TRAIL IS STILL THERE AND IT'S IN GREAT SHAPE.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) - WHEN PEOPLE USE THE COLORADO TRAIL, THEY COME AWAY WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR OUR PUBLIC LANDS.

IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS ARE AND FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO EXPERIENCE IT.

- THIS IS HER AT BERTHOUD PASS.

THAT WOULD BE HER SITTING ON THE LEFT.

MY MOM PROMOTED ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BRING PEOPLE TO THE OUTDOORS.

SHE WANTED PEOPLE TO GO TO THE OUTDOORS BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE IF PEOPLE COULD RECOGNIZE AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS, THEY WOULD BE MORE WILLING TO PROTECT THE OUTDOORS.

SO SHE WAS REALLY MORE ABOUT TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT THERE.

AND TO SEE IT AND TO EXPERIENCE IT, SO THE COLORADO TRAIL WAS A GOOD AVENUE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

- IT WAS A STRUGGLE AT FIRST AND REALLY A HARD STRUGGLE, BUT THIS HAS BECOME SUCH A WONDERFUL TRAIL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND EVERYONE THAT, THAT WRITES TO US AND AND TALKS TO US ABOUT IT AND SAY, OH, I'VE BEEN A PART OF IT AND I'VE ENJOYED THIS AND I'VE BEEN IN THIS SEGMENT AND THEY'RE ALL GLOWING WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.

I JUST WANT EVERYONE IN COLORADO TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY'VE GOT IN THEIR BACKYARD IS JUST SO SUPERB.

- FOR US AT THE COLORADO TRAIL FOUNDATION, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE OUR STATE BETTER BY HAVING THESE FREE OPEN SPACES THAT ARE WELL MAINTAINED THAT ARE ENJOYABLE, THAT PEOPLE CAN USE FOR GENERATIONS.

THIS TRAIL IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TRAIL IN THE COUNTRY AND IT IS THE BEST OF COLORADO BECAUSE IT IS ALL OF COLORADO.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING)