RSVP for this volunteer opportunty through this link: https://www.volunteervoc.org/need/detail/?need_id=905849 Where you’ll be:
The Nature Conservancy's Aiken Canyon Preserve is located in southeast El Paso County, approximately 16 miles south of Colorado Springs. Aiken Canyon's trails showcase the foothills meadow, shrubland, and woodland ecosystems just a few miles south of Colorado Springs. The Nature Conservancy protected the 1,621-acre Aiken Canyon Preserve beginning in 1991 and opened a small trail system for public hiking access with technical support from VOC.
What you’ll do:The 4-mile loop trail has significant maintenance needs. Heavy rains in 2023 overwhelmed the drains along the trail and exposed many rocks. Rain and the resulting vegetation growth have caused braiding as hikers tried to avoid muddy and overgrown sections. Volunteers will remove rocks impeding the trail, repair braided portions, restore washed-out areas, clean and rebuild drains, and trim overgrown vegetation. An additional priority trail project is widening and improving the crusher fine trail from the parking lot to the bathrooms to improve ADA accessibility.
Why it’s important:You will improve visitor safety by repairing damage to the Aiken Canyon Loop Trail and increase ecological integrity by reducing erosion and impacts on the seasonal creek in Aiken Canyon. The addition of the trail from the parking lot to the bathrooms will increase accessibility to the sign kiosk, bathrooms, and picnic shelter. Meanwhile, repair of the braided trail sections will limit human impacts from recreational use.
Eligibility Requirements:
Youth under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older.
Project Difficulty:
This project is moderate in nature. Pease check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
Accessibility Factors: The trailhead is close to the parking lot.
Vehicle Accessibility: 2WD Accessible
Other notes : Bathrooms are accessible and located at the trailhead.
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
600 S. Marion Parkway, Denver, CO 80209, US
The mission of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado is to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to motivating and enabling people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Founded 30 years ago, VOC is a nationally recognized leader in outdoor stewardship volunteerism, having helped more than 100,000 people of all ages get involved in and become inspired to care for Colorado’s outdoors. To view VOC's full listing of volunteer opportunities, please visit our Volunteer Calendar at www.voc.org/volunteer.
3350 Turkey Canyon Ranch RoadColorado Springs, CO 80926
August 9, 2024
