With the Colorado Governor’s Stay at Home orders, modified to Safer at Home, more and more people feeling cabin fever are venturing to the outdoors. This became very apparent along the South Platte River on the Gill Trail in Cheesman Canyon. Even on weekdays, the parking lot was full (and overflowing) by the early morning hours. CCTU received a call for help from the Blue Quill Anglers co-owner/head guide Pat Dorsey. He and his other guides would spend their early morning hours picking up trash and animal waste around the parking lot and along the trail and would carry it back out for disposal. They noticed overuse and abuse of the Gill Trail, people hiking the trail with their dogs without leashes, others leaving the river with rainbow trout on stringers and overnight campsites with obvious campfire rings. In June, a CCTU special committee convened to develop solutions to help educate the new influx of visitors on the regulations of the Canyon. The first step is new signage for the upper and lower trailheads. On July 2, signs were installed by Peter King, Scott Tampa, and Grant Compton (Eagle Scout candidate working with CCTU on his service project).
Over the years, CCTU has developed a special relationship with Cheesman Canyon. From the Gill Trail development and continuous trail refurbishing efforts, to the new signage…work that can make us all proud. Hopefully visitors will read and adhere to the posted regulations to keep it a special place for all to enjoy.