Where You’ll Be:
Button Rock Preserve is a 3,000-acre nature preserve outside of Lyons that protects the primary drinking water source for more than 110,000 Boulder County residents. The area supports passive recreation like hiking, rock climbing, and fishing along North St. Vrain Creek, Longmont Reservoir, and Ralph Price Reservoir. Volunteers will work in a scenic, high-use recreation area while helping care for an important community resource.
Nearest town: Lyons
The specific location will be shared with all registered volunteers 2 weeks before the project.
What You’ll Do:
Volunteers will support trail restoration work along the South Cove Trail at Button Rock Preserve.
The focus is on approximately 720 feet of trail that is severely undercut and collapsing into the reservoir, creating safety, access, and water quality concerns. Tasks may include defining trail tread, improving drainage for water to flow off the trail, building small reroutes, and assisting with retaining wall construction to stabilize eroding sections. This is a technical trail project in steep terrain and requires focused, hands-on work.
Why It Matters:
South Cove Trail’s condition directly affects visitor safety, water quality, and access within a high-use recreation area. Restoring this trail segment will reduce erosion into the reservoir, improve safety for hikers, and support long-term stewardship and infrastructure resilience at Button Rock Preserve.
Enjoy breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, with dinner on Saturday. Bring your own dinner on Friday night, and enough snacks for the weekend.
Free campsites are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and volunteers are encouraged to arrive at base camp before 8 pm on Friday.
Support This Project as a Crew Chef Helper!
We provide full meals on our overnight projects to ensure volunteers are well-fed and ready for a day of volunteering, and we could use your help to make it happen!
View this document to learn more about how to support and sign up.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Ages: 16+
For overnight projects, all youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.
Project Difficulty:
This project is considered Difficult; please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
Physical Considerations:
This work may include kneeling, bending, and working close to the ground for extended periods; exposure to sun and outdoor elements; exposure to insects such as bees and wasps; carrying and placing heavy materials like rocks and logs; digging and shoveling; and working near water with potentially muddy or slippery footing. Volunteers should be prepared for a 6.5 to 7-hour workday that requires physical stamina, with breaks encouraged as needed.
Access Factors:
Vehicle Access: No vehicle restrictions – 2WD accessible
Other Notes: Cell service may be spotty in this area.
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).
If you enjoy projects that include components of rock work, you can view similar projects here.
