TLC for the Nature Trail

Shovels and rock bars and picks, oh my! Yesterday volunteers from NOLS and the Lander community came together with tools in hand to fix up a few sections of the Nature Trail in Sinks Canyon State Park in need of some tender love and care.

In this case, the TLC involved lobbing large iron-headed tools into the mountainside of Sinks Canyon. Volunteers did plenty of dirty work to widen portions of the trail, extract large rocks and boulders, reposition wooden retaining walls, and even dig out the stump of a gigantic pine tree. And I mean gigantic. Aaron Bannon, NOLS Wilderness Advocacy Coordinator, wins first prize for the most sweat dripped over the course of the day. Way to be, Aaron. You are a trail maintenance super beast.

The Nature Trail Restoration Project was organized by Adrienne Spiegel, Kate Barrett, and Pat Creeden to fulfill an Americorps requirement. The NOLS Rocky Mountain internship and the Three Peaks Ranch internship can serve as Americorps positions, in which case interns must create and carry out their own community outreach event.

The Nature Trail looks great with the renovations. The trail is perfect for running, family hikes or just spending some time in Sinks. If you’re around town and want to check out the fruits of our volunteers’ labor, go up Sinks Canyon Road and take the first left after the Visitor’s Center. Park near the suspension bridge and have fun exploring!

A special shout-out goes to all our volunteers and to Darrel and Jamie, Sinks Canyon State Park superintendents, for all their help. Thanks for coming out and making the day such a success!