Students, volunteers working together to build new nature trail by Manitou Springs High School
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Community members, students, and the City of Manitou Springs are working on creating a trail that'll connect Manitou Springs High School to the lower Intemann Trail.
According to officials, the Mustang Way trail will replace an eroded and unsafe trail. This was developed because students and people in the community want the connection.
Volunteers designed the new trail based on modern trail standards for a sustainable, environmentally friendly trail. Mustang Way trail will is expected to be 1,130 feet long and between two and three feet wide, with an average grade of 8% - which is good for hikers, bikers, and nature. Organizers say Mustang Way should last for years once completed.
Work on the trail began in 2022. The Manitou Springs Community Foundation provided a grant to help pay for suitably sized and shaped rocks, plus snacks and water for volunteers who've worked on the trail, and other expenses. The City of Manitou Springs also contributed the cost of t-shirts - designed by Manitou students - to give as a thank-you to volunteers.
Manitou Springs School District 14 provided cash and staff support through after-school sessions where dedicated Manitou High School students, teachers, and staff joined crew leaders from the Pikes Peak Trail Cats and other local trail organizations to work on Mustang Way. So far, they've completed about a quarter of the work.
Volunteers are expected to continue working this year, with plans to complete the trail. Community members, students, teachers, and staff are all welcome to join and help build the trail.
No experience is necessary, people just need to register to help. For more information and to sign-up to help, click here.