Land Acknowledgment

This is a community stewardship day, which we acknowledge takes place on the traditional unceded territory of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Cheyenne, and Jicarilla Apache Nations*. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced occupation of their territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse indigenous people connected to this land on which our stewardship days take place.  

Meeting location:

Please meet RMFI at the Old Stage Riding Stables due to parking restraints at the Gray Back Peak trailhead, we will be transporting you to the trailhead. Please use the link below to download the driving directions prior to leaving and review the driving directions provided below.

Driving Directions from I-25, take the Exit 138 for Circle Drive and head West on Lake Ave, take a right at the Broadmoor Hotel roundabout and follow the sign for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. When you reach the intersection of Penrose Blvd, Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, and Old Stage Road there will be a big sign that says" Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Shine of the Sun" with an arrow and a small brown sign that reads "To Cripple Creek with and arrow" Take a right on Old Stage Road flowing the "To Cripple Creek" sign. From This Intersection, you will drive up Old Stage Road 5.9 miles and from this point will take 25-30 minutes. Old Stage Riding Stables will be at the intersection of Old Stage Road and Transmitter Lane on your left. If you reach the intersection where Old Stage turns into Gold Camp you have gone too far. 

Old Stage Riding Stables 

Time:

8:30 am - 2:30 pm

-When the day is done, and you're back at the Old Stage Stables, grab a bite at their Cantina!

Registration will close Thursday, September 5th at 11:59 pm. We do ask that all volunteers be available for the entire workday due to the parking and location of this volunteer day, for this day we will be unable to accommodate partial days. 

Activity: This US Forest Service Pikes Peak Ranger District property is popular with hikers, runners, and equestrians. The project will be cutting new trail tread for a reroute of a section of the Gray Back Peak Trail. Project tasks may include decompacting hardened soils, moving materials such as rock, dirt, and timbers, and potentially constructing check dams, drains or grade reversals. This new trail tread construction follows a specific predetermined path laid out by the USFS, please follow all guidelines provided by RMFI staff on tread width and direction. This is strenuous work using tools in the outdoors at around 9'000 feet. Be prepared for a rewarding day of trail work! If you have concerns about accessibility on this stewardship day, please reach out to us, or for your reference please use our Trail Terminology Guide to learn more about this activity.

For more information about what to bring for the stewardship day, visit our FAQ page.

*If you would like to learn about the native territories that each of our projects are located on, please follow this link: https://www.rmfi.org/projects.