Recap: National Trails Day 2023!
This past weekend, we made history together. In celebration of National Trails Day, 620 of you joined us as volunteers at nineteen independent trail work locations to complete over 2,500 hours of trail work in just one day. We stewarded over 60 miles of local trails together, and (according to our research,) completed the largest trail work event to ever happen not just in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but anywhere in the world.
We are floored by the support. National Trails Day showed the power of community, and the positive impact that trail users can have on the open spaces they love. If you came out to an event, made a donation to support this work, or simply passed along a sign-up link to a friend, you were a part of this monumental event. Thank you so much!
The true magic of the day was seeing volunteers of all ages come together to leave trails better than they found them. Trails unite us–regardless of our age, abilities, or background, we all experience the benefits of a day spent outdoors on a beautiful trail. If you volunteered last Saturday, we hope you take a moment to appreciate how your work positively impacted others. Think about the family that went out for a hike on Emma McCrary Trail later that afternoon or the mountain bikers who could take advantage of improved sightlines on U-Conn to pass others more safely. YOU did that. YOU helped your fellow community members fully enjoy the beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains. And we’re so glad you joined us to take part in this special day.
Okay, now let’s take a peek at some of Saturday’s best moments…
Starting at 9:00 a.m., over 600 volunteers gathered at their assigned project site. We had nineteen trail work locations ranging from the North Coast near Davenport all the way down to the Pajaro Valley at Ramsay Park.
Tasks for the day varied by location. Some sites were dubbed “most challenging”, and involved lugging heavy rocks up steep trails for trail armoring, removing enormous root balls from trails, and tackling major erosion issues on some of our area’s most popular outdoor spaces.
Other sites were more beginner-friendly, with tasks like brushing to clear the trail corridor, restoring habitats along watersheds, and cleaning up trails surrounding one of Santa Cruz’s crown jewels, Natural Bridges State Beach. Regardless of the task at hand, volunteers tackled the work with ease.
In the early afternoon, trail crews wrapped up for the day and booked it over to DeLaveaga Park for a well-deserved after-party. There were tacos. There was beer. And there was an absolutely amazing volunteer raffle with prizes suited for any and every type of outdoor adventurer. The energy of the event was palpable–everyone, tired but fulfilled from a day in the sun, bellies full, made new friends as they debriefed on activities of the day.
When our Executive Director asked for a show of hands if you were volunteering with us for the first time, nearly half of all hands shot into the air. It was a treat to get to welcome so many new members to our community of trail stewards.
All in all, National Trails Day 2023 will be a tough one to beat. But you know us–we’ll certainly try. We’re proud to support the American Hiking Association’s annual campaign with our own special event, and can’t wait to see everyone again in 2024! If you missed out on this special event but want to get a taste of what to expect, please consider joining us at an upcoming volunteer event.
