Salida Mountain Trails

Your Gift Builds Better Trails

Great trails don’t happen by accident. They take hard work, dedicated volunteers, and a community that invests in them.

At Salida Mountain Trails (SMT), we’re dedicated to building and maintaining sustainable trails, stewarding public lands, and supporting the vibrant outdoor community that makes the Arkansas River Valley so special.

From repairing storm damage and improving drainage to rebuilding trail features and organizing volunteer workdays, our Trail Crew and volunteers work year-round to care for the trails we all enjoy.

This Colorado Gives Day, we’re asking you to invest in the trails you love. Your donation supports the people, tools, materials, and resources that make our work possible.

Your Donations at Work: 2026 by the Numbers

Thanks to our incredible community of supporters, volunteers, and partners, we’ve accomplished a lot during our 2026 trail season!

Here’s what we’ve achieved together this year:

• 🥾 27.6 miles of trail tread maintained, helping keep trails in great shape.
• 🌲 337 trees cleared, restoring trail access throughout the region.
• 🛠️ 33 trail features rebuilt, improving trail sustainability and the user experience.
• 💧 42 erosion-control structures installed, protecting trails from runoff and erosion.
• 🤝 4,472 hours of trail stewardship, demonstrating our community’s commitment to caring for public lands.

And that’s just part of the story!

Throughout the year, our Trail Crew and volunteers have tackled projects across Salida’s trail system and beyond, from restoring damaged sections of Rusty Lung and improving drainage on Rainbow Trail to clearing downed trees on remote wilderness trails.

We’ve also responded to significant storm damage, reinforced vulnerable trail sections, and completed restoration work to protect the surrounding landscape.

Every mile maintained, every tree cleared, and every trail improved represents an investment in the future of Salida’s trails.

More Than Trails: Building Community Through Stewardship

Our work goes beyond maintaining trails.  We bring people together to care for the public lands we all enjoy.

In 2026, SMT organized 30 volunteer events and 25 training opportunities, helping community members develop new skills, connect with others, and make a meaningful difference.

And the impact goes both ways.

In our volunteer survey, 100% of respondents said their work contributed to better, safer trails, while 90% reported a greater sense of community.

When you support SMT, you’re not just investing in trails. You’re investing in the community that cares for them.

Help Keep Salida’s Trails Going Strong

Maintaining a sustainable trail system takes ongoing investment.

Your Colorado Gives Day donation supports SMT’s general fund, providing resources to:

• Maintain and improve existing trails through repairs, drainage improvements, and erosion control.
• Build sustainable trails that expand outdoor recreation opportunities.
• Support our Trail Crew with the staffing, equipment, and materials needed to get the job done.
• Respond to trail damage and hazards to help keep trails accessible and enjoyable.
• Engage and train volunteers who contribute thousands of hours to caring for our public lands.
• Steward public lands to protect the landscapes we all love.

Whether you ride, hike, run, or simply appreciate access to beautiful public lands, Salida’s trails are a community resource worth investing in.

Every gift, big or small, helps us maintain the trails we love and build a more sustainable trail system for the future.

Give today. Keep Salida’s trails going strong!