NoCo Places
A Common Voice for Public Lands
Est. 2018 · Northern Colorado
NoCo Places
A Common Voice for Public Lands
Est. 2018 · Northern Colorado
Unauthorized, or “social”, trails emerge when visitors create unplanned shortcuts or wander off designated routes, often harming sensitive habitats and causing erosion.
Many social trails start with good intentions, but unmanaged routes can cause long-term problems:
NoCo Places is working with partners and volunteers to map, prioritize, and rehabilitate these trails across the NoCo region. Our phased approach—from GIS scoping to field mapping and a new interactive dashboard—supports informed, equitable, and sustainable stewardship across jurisdictions.
NoCo Places is working on the next phase of the unauthorized trails project. RRC Associates developed an unauthorized trails dashboard, similar in design to the mobile phone data dashboard, which enabled NoCo land managers to view the prevalence and impacts of unauthorized trails on the NoCo landscape at a regional level.
The trail data came from existing unauthorized trails mapping that each agency had undertaken, plus the over 345 miles of unauthorized trail data collected last summer by NoCo Places. This data was overlaid with NoCo’s biodiversity mapping, allowing land managers to develop a prioritized list of actions for these identified trails. As a result of the developed criteria, trails may be rehabilitated, continue to be monitored, or, in some cases, become part of an existing trail system.
While the data NoCo has is by no means a complete picture of unauthorized trails across the region, the dashboard allows additional mapping and data collection to be added as it becomes available.
Larimer County Conservation Corps Trail Crew
NoCo Places is partnering with the Larimer County Conservation Corps on the trail restoration this summer and fall. Work began on June 22, 2026, and will continue into October.
Work Completed: The crew focused on restoring unauthorized trails which were causing erosion and drainage issues by replacing lost material and covering routes with forest debris. The crew completed about 1 mile worth of trail restoration throughout the park which has greatly reduced habitat fragmentation and added to the buffer zones for wildlife from visitor use. They completed 0.5 miles of trail restoration and closure.
Work Completed:
Regrading of trail sections to remove edges of trail treads and create a more uniform cross grade to disguise the existence of unauthorized trails
Spreading slash and organic material over the unauthorized trail sections to create physical and visible barriers to users
Installing of rock features to prevent further erosion and create areas where sediment can build up to naturalize unauthorized trails
Work Completed: In addition to mapping and decommissioning unauthorized trails, the crew is working with the US Forest Service to document unauthorized signage and campsites.
More updates coming soon.
Note: the Larimer County Conservation Corps crew came in following work performed by a US Forest Service crew. The Corps is helping to finish out the remaining work.
Photo Credits: Anne Ludolph, Grady Hall, Katie Matthews, and LCCC
In our “Tread Talk” video series, NoCo stakeholders and agency staff share the different ways that unauthorized trails have a negative cumulative effect over time.
Authorized trails are planned and built by land managers through careful evaluation of the landscape, wildlife habitats, water movement, and historic and cultural resources.
Learn more in the video clips below featuring the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Larimer County Natural Resources, and History Colorado.
Please check back soon for our continued progress on this project or contact us with any questions.
This project was made possible with grant funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and Colorado Parks & Wildlife through the Regional Partnerships Initiative Grant Program.
