Trails on 12 Colorado fourteeners are about to get upgrades
“Our iconic fourteeners will now be even more accessible and safe to summit," Gov. Jared Polis said.
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A dozen summit trails on Colorado’s famed 14,000-foot peaks will be restored by the nonprofit Colorado Fourteeners Initiative through state funding, the governor’s office said Wednesday.
A total of $2.4 million has been granted to construct, restore and maintain 26 Colorado trails. Of that, $250,000 will be used to restore trails on Mount Bierstadt, Blue Sky, Quandary, Democrat, Princeton, Massive, Capitol, Columbia, San Luis, Redcloud, Wetterhorn and Sneffels.
Bierstadt and Quandary were the state’s two busiest fourteeners in 2023, the most recent season for which the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative has data.
The funding comes from the Non-Motorized Trails Grant Program, a partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Lottery and the Federal Recreational Trails Program. The Parks and Wildlife commission approved the grants in March.
“Our iconic fourteeners will now be even more accessible and safe to summit,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. “In Colorado, we are focused on expanding outdoor recreational opportunities for all Coloradans, while protecting our natural resources and public lands. This funding will help Coloradans have fun, get outside, and be active while protecting our awe-inspiring natural landscapes, keeping Colorado beautiful for generations to come.”
As for the rest of the money, the Colorado Mountain Bike Association will receive $150,000 for trail maintenance, especially in Front Range forests. Other grants include $124,000 for trail sustainability in Mesa County, $149,000 for trail maintenance in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, and $250,000 to build new trails at the Austin Bluffs Open Space in Colorado Springs.
“We recognize that recreation and conservation goals can often support each other, and that funding partnerships with other organizations and agencies across the state are critical to accomplish those goals,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife director Jeff Davis said in the news release.
