by Ian Muñoz
National Trails Day 2026 was celebrated with two days of hard work, community collaboration, and lasting improvements to the Pronghorn Trail System in Del Norte. San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO) partnered with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), along with a number of dedicated community volunteers, to complete significant upgrades along the Calaveras Trail on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. The Pronghorn Trail System is a growing outdoor recreation asset near Del Norte, Colorado, offering opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, and community-based public lands stewardship.
Over the course of the weekend, SLV GO’s professional trail crew, 22 VOC volunteers, and members of the public split into 5–6 person teams, each tackling a different project along approximately one mile of trail. While routine trail maintenance was an important part of the effort, the weekend focused on much more than clearing brush and repairing tread. Crews worked together to build and improve technical mountain bike features designed to enhance the riding experience while providing optional challenges for more advanced riders.
One major focus was rebuilding user-created jumps that had become unstable over time. Using large rocks as structural foundations, volunteers reinforced each feature to improve durability and reduce the risk of shifting stones that could create unsafe riding conditions. The approaches and landings were also reshaped to provide smoother, safer transitions between the trail and the feature, creating a better experience for riders of all skill levels.
Other crews concentrated on improving the trail’s climbing turns—the sweeping, C-shaped switchbacks that help riders and other trail users navigate steep terrain. Building these turns required carefully embedding large rocks along the outside edge to create reinforced berms. Much like the banking on a NASCAR racetrack helps keep cars on course through high-speed corners, these insloped berms allow riders to maintain better control while climbing or descending, creating smoother, safer turns that will stand up to years of use. These improvements help reduce erosion, improve rider safety, and keep technical features from deteriorating into informal or unsustainable routes.
Constructing these features takes far more than shovels and hard work. Large quantities of rock and soil are needed, but collecting materials directly beside the trail would disturb the surrounding landscape. Instead, crews sourced material from locations outside the visible trail corridor and transported it by hand to each worksite. While one team hauled rocks and dirt up steep sections of trail, another crew pieced together massive boulders like a puzzle, shaped the riding surfaces, and carefully packed soil to complete each feature.
From carrying heavy stone under the Colorado sun to tamping dirt and fine-tuning every turn and jump, there was no shortage of challenging work throughout the weekend. Every improvement reflects countless hours of teamwork and a shared commitment to creating sustainable, enjoyable trails for the community. Projects like this help protect fragile landscapes while expanding access to high-quality outdoor recreation in the San Luis Valley.
SLV GO is incredibly grateful for the dedication of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, our partner organizations, and every community member who donated their time and energy to this project. Public lands thrive because of people willing to roll up their sleeves and invest in the places we all enjoy.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Pronghorn Trail System for National Trails Day Weekend 2026. Your hard work will benefit trail users for years to come, and together we’ve made the Calaveras Trail stronger, safer, and even more fun to ride.
