Colorado National Monument, CO
DatesApr 29th - May 5th 2012 Service ProjectTrail maintenance Free DaysDay hiking, scenic drives, visiting arches AccommodationsCar & tent camping in designated campground Trip RatingActive : Bending, digging, lopping, raking LeadersCharles Phy Equipment |
Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths and sheer-walled, red rock canyons exist within a vast plateau-and-canyon panorama. The backcountry of the monument is rugged and steep, hot and sandy, flat and forested, magical and wondrous. The pinyon-juniper woodland provides habitat for desert bighorn sheep, eight types of lizards, gray fox, coyote, bobcat, golden eagle, desert cottontail, and turkey vulture. Most of Colorado National Monument rises more than 2,000 feet above the Grand Valley of the Colorado River. Situated at the edge of the Uncompahgre Uplift, the park is part of the greater Colorado Plateau, which also embraces such geologic wonders as the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Arches. Our service project is conducting general trail maintenance on a variety of foot trails throughout the monument. Damage to trails in the winter will determine which ones will be needing the most attention. We'll be walking a maximum of four miles to worksites, and we'll have monument trails staff with us to direct the service project. Tasks may include tread repair, water diversion structure maintenance, brushing and lopping overgrown vegetation, installing log & check steps, and possibly removal of some invasive vegetation. We'll make base camp in the Saddlehorn Campground, the main monument visitor campground which is complete with amenities, and camp in tents or vehicles. Photos by Colorado National Monument, Sally Bellacqua, Lynne Mager
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