May 1, 2024 — Outdoor recreation leaders and stakeholders invite the public to weigh in on the nascent Chaffee County Trails System & Conservation Plan on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds.

Meeting participants will work in facilitated groups to view mapped trails and conditions, help determine priority areas of interest for the next phase of planning, and identify opportunities for environmental protections, maintenance, accessibility, connectivity and more.

“This is an opportunity to consider how we continue to create an exceptional trails system that is sustainable for this and future generations,” said Jon Terbush, executive director of Salida Mountain Trails.

A working group convened to guide the process has already identified opportunities to address issues, such as areas with frequent user conflicts or impacts to natural resources, said Cindy Williams, co-lead of Envision Chaffee County. The working group includes recreation and conservation leaders, land managers and other key stakeholders.

“We look forward to everyone’s input, to help decide which areas where we will do the next phase of detailed planning with the funds we have in hand,” Williams said, adding that planning will include, “trails and trailheads, access corridors, parking, restrooms, waste removal, erosion, wildlife habitat and agricultural operations.”

This is the first of two public meetings to take place this year.

Learn more about the process at https://envisionchaffeecounty.org/trails-system-conservation-plan/.