Calendar
Registration opens June 1. This small, Thursday project offers the opportunity to improve technical skills.
Dates: 07/01/2021
Time: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Type of Work: Trail Restoration/Maintenance
Physical Difficulty: Moderate, Difficult
Minimum Age: 14
Region: Northern & Central Mountains
Nearest City: Idaho Springs, CO
County: Clear Creek
Camping: No
Groups Allowed: No
Payment Required: No
Read Before You Register! Need-to-Know Details:
We greatly appreciate you volunteering your time and energy to care for Colorado's outdoor places during COVID-19. To help provide a fun and safe experience for all, there are a few temporary changes to be prepared for:
- You may only register yourself. Every volunteer must sign our digital COVID-specific forms ahead of time to be able to attend.
- You must provide your own food. VOC will not be providing meals at this time.
- You must bring work gloves. Please click here for our full packing list of required and recommended items.
- If you are fully vaccinated, you may work without a mask. If you are not yet fully vaccinated or if you prefer to wear a mask for any reason, please continue to wear a mask on VOC projects. We will have spare masks available if needed.
- Cancellation & Waitlists: Due to limited spots on this year's projects, we expect projects to fill quickly with waitlists. If you need to cancel, please email
as soon as possible so we can free your spot for another volunteer and have a full workforce. If you are waitlisted for multiple projects, please call us at 303-715-1010 ext. 116 and we can help you find an open project, if available.
Where You'll Be:
Nestled in Arapaho National Forest and Pike National Forest just 30 miles west of Denver, the Mt. Evans Wilderness spans more than 74,000 acres and is home to bighorn sheep and the highest paved road in North America nearby. The Chicago Lakes Trail is home to two lakes, the first tucked away in a glacial valley and the second flanked by steep granite cliffs, and experiences significant use as it is often hiked in combination with the Mt. Evans Trail to reach the summit of Mt. Evans, one of Colorado's most popular Front Range 14ers.
What You'll Do:
This is our ninth year working on the Chicago Lakes Trail! On this project, you'll be led by Steve West, a highly-skilled volunteer who has completed more than 275 VOC projects since 1991. After hiking approximately 2 miles to the worksite, you'll spend the day with a small group of volunteers ages 14+ as you perform critical maintenance tasks including repairing the trail tread and building drainage and erosion control structures. No prior experience is required, though work will take place at high-altitude and be more technical and physically demanding in nature, making this the perfect project for those who enjoy small groups and/or are looking to improve their stewardship skills.
Why It Matters:
With its close proximity to Denver, trails in and around the Mt. Evans Wilderness experience a high amount of use in warmer months. Your efforts will help ensure the Chicago Lakes Trail can sustain heavy traffic while offering a safe and pleasant hiking and biking experience for years to come.
About Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC)
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Founded in 1984 to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources, VOC has engaged nearly 125,000 people in more than 1,000 volunteer projects for a donated labor value of $25 million. Through award-winning youth and volunteer programs, leadership training, capacity-building programs, and collaborative efforts with nonprofits and land management agencies, VOC is an invaluable resource in Colorado, especially as our outdoor stewardship needs are approaching near-crisis levels. For more information, visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010.
