How Volunteers Shape Biking in the Yampa Valley
As the summer sun sets on another unforgettable summer in Routt County, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible community spirit that keeps our trails thriving. From the familiar hum of bike tires on dirt to the ‘woops’ shared among happy trail users, two standout RCR programs—the Trail Ambassador Program and Volunteer Trail Work Days—made this summer one for the books. With over 300 enthusiastic community members dedicating their time, skills, and a bit of sweat, we tackled everything from on-trail beta collection to building brand-new trails. So grab your helmet and let’s drop into the highlights!
The Trail Ambassador Program is the friendly face of our trails, featuring over 50 dedicated volunteers who are as passionate about biking as they are about sharing their knowledge. These well-versed locals don their official Ambassador jerseys in spring and hit the trails, ready to assist anyone in need—whether it’s fixing a stubborn bike chain or giving the best route suggestions for fall foliage. This summer, our Ambassadors logged an impressive 1,000 volunteer hours, engaging with around 6,000 trail users across the stunning 350 miles of trails in Routt County. One of the highlights? We welcomed our very first Spanish-speaking Trail Ambassador, marking a huge step toward making our trails more accessible for everyone. We hope to add more bilingual ambassadors in the future because biking extends language barriers.
While our Trail Ambassadors were out spreading smiles and assistance, our Volunteer Trail Work Program was busy rolling up sleeves and getting to work! From June to October, we mobilized over 250 dedicated volunteers, tackling priority projects across Routt County. Together, we focused on everything from new trail construction to maintaining existing paths, ensuring our outdoor playground remains in top shape. This year, volunteers logged nearly 1,000 hours on the completion of 25 impactful projects. They cleared nearly 40 miles of trail, removed 26 bags of trash from our highways (because who wants to ride through litter?), and constructed over 1.5 miles of new trail on the new Emerald downhill-only trail, set for a projected opening in the spring of 2025. Even with all the digging, our volunteers always remember to have fun. One of our most memorable projects this year was on Rotary Loop with the STARS crew, where volunteers worked hard to widen the trail tread to comply with ADA-standards – and were treated with a fun and challenging adaptive mountain bike ride!
As the last leaves drop from another incredible summer, it’s clear that our biking community thrives through volunteer efforts. Whether the sharing of laughs of our Trail Ambassadors or the hard work of our Volunteer Trail Work team, each of you plays a vital role in preserving the beauty and accessibility of Routt County’s trails.
We want to hear from you! Share your own trail stories or memorable moments with us— every ride is better with a good story. A huge thank you to all our volunteers and supporters who helped make this summer unforgettable. Sign-up for our newsletter to stay in the loop for next season’s volunteer opportunities!
Written by Lucy Winslow, Routt County Riders Program Coordinator
