It’s all about stewardship and community.
And it’s about wearing a shiny new button.
Durango Shares the Trails, a campaign created by local nonprofit Trails 2000, will launch Saturday at the Horse Gulch trailhead. The launch is being held in conjunction with National Trails Day.
At the event, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., trail users will be asked to sign a “Durango Shares the Trails” pledge – a vow to be courteous to all trail users, whether on foot, bike or horseback. In return, they’ll get a button and be asked to pass buttons on to family and friends.
It’s about community connections and celebrating positive interactions on the 300 miles of multiuse trails within 30 minutes of downtown, said Mary Monroe Brown, Trails 2000 director.
“We’re promoting an idea of something Durango’s already excellent at, and that’s sharing the trails,” Monroe Brown said. “It’s definitely to reaffirm the share-the-trails ethos and to continue on with education that trails are multiuse.”
Trails 2000 plans to continue the campaign throughout the summer and incorporate the ideas into its trail work and other public outings.
It’s fairly obvious how to react with hikers and bikers – slow down, be courteous and make room for one or the other to pass. But horse interactions can confuse those who aren’t familiar with them.
Monroe Brown said it’s best to stop a couple hundred feet before the horse and rider and announce yourself. The rider usually will tell you what they’d like you to do.
One important note: Horses get spooked if they think you’re a predator, so if you stay on the low side of the trail, they know you can’t pounce on them.
“Our program celebrates our connection and reminds people how much we appreciate their attitudes on the trail,” Monroe Brown said.
johnp@durangoherald.com
