By Joey Livingston
At its May meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission approved $6.24 million to fund 52 trail projects across Colorado as recommended by CPW for its 2023 – 2024 OHV Trail Grant funding awards. The grant funding comes from the purchase of over 200,000 Colorado OHV registrations/permits and the federal Recreational Trails Program.
“This is literally OHV dollars going right back into the trails,” said CPW State Trails Program Manager Fletcher Jacobs. “This year we funded 31 maintenance trail crews across the state, 26 of which are Good Management crews, which allow our federal partners at the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to get much needed consistent funding for trail crews. We were also excited to fund 22 weeks of youth corps crews that helps us to not only protect resources, but also allow young adult corps members to be exposed to careers in natural resources.”
Some of the highlights from this year’s grant award winners include:
Canyon Creek Trail Reconstruction – USFS Gunnison Ranger District
Trail crew personnel, along with the help of volunteers and youth corps, will perform trail reconstruction and heavy maintenance on Canyon Creek Trail #481, primarily through the middle portion of the trail. Some heavy maintenance tasks may also be performed below the Buffalo Fork of Canyon Creek towards the junction with Waunita Trail #497. All existing drainage structures will get an overhaul and new structures will be constructed as needed to meet or exceed Forest Service trail specifications. The primary goal of this project is to improve user experience and safety, create a more sustainable trail and to protect natural resources.
BLM San Luis Valley Management Area – BLM and San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!)
The BLM, in partnership with the SLV GO! will maintain and improve OHV trails, trailheads and other supporting infrastructure related to BLM managed OHV opportunities in the San Luis Valley. In addition to maintaining and upgrading existing OHV facilities, the OHV Trail Crew will also inventory, monitor and patrol throughout the area, providing important data collection and presence throughout the field office’s motorized system while making important visitor contacts and providing information and education to visitors and OHV participants. As a partnering non-profit, the SLV GO! will employ their professional trail crew called the Great Outdoors Action Team (GOATs), to plan, design, and complete the needed maintenance of recently storm-damaged sections of Limekiln and Greenie Mountain OHV trails in Rio Grande County.
Big Bend OHV Beginner Track – Central Colorado Mountain Riders
Central Colorado Mountain Riders, in partnership with Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, will improve and maintain the Big Bend OHV track, including managing the beginner OHV track and bike trailer. Funding will be used to improve the facilities around the kid/beginner track and provide riding and educational opportunities. Facility improvements will include: installing a bench, covered picnic pavilion, picnic tables, grills and handicap accessible parking. An enclosed trailer and beginner off-road motorcycles will also be purchased. Central Colorado Mountain Riders will provide volunteer support, and Salida Parks and Recreation and Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area will also assist with the project.
OHV Statewide Trail Crew
Funds will be used for the operations of a four-person Good Management crew who perform land stewardship work on multiple-use motorized trails on USFS, BLM, and state-owned land throughout Colorado. The crew will perform multiple trail maintenance and travel management tasks including constructing trail and drainage structures and installing signs to inform and educate users. The crew will also build gates and buck-n-rail fences to regulate users and prevent resource damage, as well as perform visitor contacts to provide education, assistance and enforcement of rules and regulations.
BLM White River Management Area – White River OHV Trail Crew
A two-person OHV crew will implement erosion control structures, perform parking lot, kiosk and sign maintenance, install signage for designated routes, patrol and monitor illegal routes, deploy trail counters on routes and parking areas and make public contacts during the summer, fall and hunting seasons. The crew will work closely with the OHV communities in Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Garfield counties, along with stakeholders involved with Travel Management implementation. Funding will also be used for project supplies, materials, and equipment costs including the purchase of a UTV, a trailer for the UTV, trail counters, and hand-held radios.
A complete list of the 2023 – 2024 OHV Trail Grants is available here.
About the grant process
The Colorado State Trails Committee is responsible for the review process for trail grant applications and making recommendations to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission regarding funding for grants.
The OHV/motorized trail grant selection process follows a four-tiered review and approval protocol. All grant applications are first reviewed by CPW wildlife field biologists and regional CPW staff. This process allows CPW to flag potential wildlife issues prior to review by the subcommittees. While concerns may be flagged during this review, CPW’s field staff attempts to resolve these concerns prior to the subcommittee’s review. Next, applications are evaluated by the OHV Grant Review and Ranking Subcommittee to score and rank the OHV competitive grant applications in order of their recommended funding priority.
The ranked applications are then passed to the Committee to evaluate in ranked order and recommend funding strategies to the Commission. The Commission provides the final approval to funded projects. This process invites public review and comment at four separate stages: upon submission, before the subcommittees, before the State Trails Committee and before the Commission.
Click here for more information about CPW’s Recreational Trails Program.
Joey Livingston is Statewide Public Information Officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.