As Trails 2000 enters its 25th season, it’s offering a number of ways for trail enthusiasts to maintain the amenities they love.

“We invite all members of our community to join us for our many upcoming events,” Trails 2000 Executive Director Mary Monroe Brown said Thursday, “as the success of our local organization relies heavily on the support of those who give so much back to our trails each and every season, including membership, volunteers, area businesses and more.”

The organization is kicking off the season with its version of a party – planting trees at Vallecito’s Pine Point Campground on the weekend of April 11 and 12.

A real party, the Join and Renew Party, will be held April 22 – Earth Day – at Carver Brewing Co. Monroe Brown said it’s a good time to learn more about the organization and become a member.

The party also will give members a chance to meet Dewayne Buratti, Trails 2000’s new trails coordinator. Buratti comes with the experience of building trails in Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Idaho, Pennsylvania, California, British Columbia, Canada and Puerto Rico.

“People keep asking me what I’m going to be doing now that we’ve hired Dewayne,” Monroe Brown said with a laugh. “He’s our first full-time seasonal employee, although we have paid trail crew bosses. But I’m still the executive director.”

Monroe Brown will spend her time planning events, representing Trails 2000 on collaborative projects with other agencies and organizations and continuing education efforts to help trail users – including hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders – share the trails.

For its silver anniversary, Trails 2000 created a commemorative booklet that’s available at Maria’s Bookshop. It will also be the beneficiary of Todd’s (Wells) and Ned’s (Overend) Durango Dirt Fondo in September, when the 25th anniversary of Durango hosting the first World Mountain Bike Championships also will take place. Monroe Brown is planning a Trail Summit to take place at that time, too.

In 2014, volunteers contributed 3,500 hours of time maintaining trails. Trails 2000 members work on trails on U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, La Plata County, city of Durango and private landowners’ properties. In addition to planning, building and maintaining more than 300 miles of trails, it works to educate trail users and encourages connectivity between roads, paths and trails.

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If you go

Trails 2000 has a busy month planned as it kicks off its 25th season. Except for the Join and Renew Party and the Trail Kids Program, people are requested to sign up at www.trails2000.org, where more details are available.
Season Kick-Off Party, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 11 and 12 at Vallecito’s Pine Point Campground.
Public Trailwork Night, 4 p.m. April 15.
Join and Renew Party, 4:30 to 7 p.m. April 22, at Carver Brewing Co., 1022 Main Ave.
Crew Leader Training, April 25-26, led by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado.
Trail Kids Program, May 4, 11 and 18.