Southwest Colorado will celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday with a couple of official local events, and – no doubt – a bunch of unofficial trail rides and runs.

Trails 2000 is heading up a build day for the Medicine Trail, a new “progressive” trail being built in the Horse Gulch area southeast of downtown Durango. Led by crew leaders Dusty Bender and Dewayne Buratti, along with the Trails 2000 Gravity Council, work will go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To get there, go to the Horse Gulch trailhead (at the east end of Third Street) and walk or ride up the road to where the Trails 2000 work truck is parked.

Trails 2000 suggests wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, closed-toe shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Also, bring a water bottle and possibly a rain jacket if weather looks iffy. Trails 2000 will provide tools, water and snacks. Food and swag from Chip Peddler, Zuberfizz, Pine Needle Mountaineering and others will be provided after the trail work, said Trails 2000 executive director Mary Monroe.

Meanwhile, the San Juan Mountains Association, in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, is hosting a morning of hiking and horseback riding at Mud Springs, west of Cortez.

Specialists and naturalists will be on hand to lead hikes and answer questions for the event, called “Get to Know Mud Springs.” Those who want to participate can meet at the trailhead at 9 a.m. Saturday.

To get to the trail, go west on U.S. Highway 160 through Cortez, then veer south onto U.S. Highway 491/160. At the second light, take a right onto Road G (McElmo Canyon Road). After about 2 miles, turn left onto Road 21. The parking lot for Mud Springs is about 1 mile down on the right.

National Trails Day, initiated by the American Hiking Society, is in its 23rd consecutive year.

johnp@durangoherald.com