601 views • posted 12/25/2017 • updated 04/10/2019
This award recognizes innovative and successful trail sharing efforts, programs, and systems.
Jefferson County Park Patroller on the trail
Jefferson County Open Space, Colorado, for their successful trail sharing efforts demonstrated in their Volunteer Park Patroller/Bike Right programs.
With nearly 57,000 acres of parkland and 150 miles of natural surface trail, Jefferson County Open Space has become a premier mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding destination in the Denver metro area.
As with many trail systems near urban centers, trail conflict has become an area of management concern for Jefferson County Open Space. To address these concerns two programs were implemented.
The Park Patroller Program has over 80 volunteers who have been trained to help enforce park regulations, provide education on trail sharing and trail user courtesy, and engage in multi-use conflict resolution.
The Bike Right Program is an educational effort specifically designed to reach the mountain biking community.
With support from park rangers and local bike manufacture's, volunteers created educational and outreach programs that included bike clinics, bike tune-ups and bike demos while educating bicyclists on appropriate trail sharing and multi-use yielding techniques.
Through efforts of Ranger staff and Wheat Ridge Cyclery, trail-users observed following multi-use trail yielding techniques or showing a high degree of trail courtesy are awarded Bike Right Gift Certificates.
2015: Northumberland County Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area
2013: Colorado Responsible Recreation Foundation’s “Stay The Trail” Campaign
2010: Ride With Respect
2008: Bill Manning
