Where you'll be:
Nestled in Arapaho National Forest and Pike National Forest just 30 miles west of Denver, the Mt. Evans Wilderness spans more than 74,000 acres, is home to bighorn sheep, and is the highest paved road in North America.
What you'll do:
This weekday project is a great way for volunteers ages 12+ to get outside. Volunteers will hike about 3/4 of a mile (0.75 mi) on the Captain Mountain Trail where they will work with a group of approximately 20 others to remove mature thistle blossoms and chemically treat the thistle plants in the meadow. Time permitting, we will also work to identify musk thistle rosettes and Canada thistle.
Why it's important:
Maintaining healthy native flora is essential for the local ecosystem, and, left unchecked, the invasive thistles will take over the area and out-compete native plants to create a monoculture.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Ages 12+
Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older.
Project Difficulty:
This project is considered easy to moderate in nature. Please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
Access Factors:
- Vehicle Accessibility: The last ~4 miles of the road (on Upper Bear Creek Rd) are not paved but accessible to all vehicles. All volunteers will meet at the lower parking lot and carpool (~2 mi) to the project site.
- Other: Restrooms available only at the main parking lot.
Join us in reducing our carbon footprint by carpooling!
Click here to sign up for the carpool (please do this after registering for the project).
