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 wrapped up in October.
Work Completed:
0.93 miles of unauthorized trail closure and rehabilitation
Work Completed:
0.6 miles of unauthorized trail rehabilitation at Avanti Site
1 mile of unauthorized trail rehabilitation at Betasso Preserve
Work Completed:
8 miles of trail mapped
223 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated
852 feet of new trail constructed
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.
Work Completed:
489 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated
40 feet of fence installed
Work Completed:
269 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated on Lawn Lake Trail
1,796 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated on Emerald/Nymph Lake Trail
0.3 miles of unauthorized trail rehabilitated on Gem Lake Trail
For all trails, project work included:
Work Completed:
607 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated
1,937 sqft of native seed spread
Work Completed:
20 feet of multi-tier rock wall constructed
Work Completed:
264 feet of unauthorized trail rehabilitated
448 feet of trail improved
30 feet of rock walls installed
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.
