WCC and allies across western Colorado are hosting a series of guided hikes to some of

WCC members on a hike into Dry Creek, a hidden gem right outside of Montrose with a beautiful riparian area and petroglyphs.

our most unique and special areas. All of the places we will be visiting are under review through BLM planning processes and open for public comment. The hikes will focus on the important and rare values of these landscapes and what we can do to protect them into the future.

All of the hikes will be at max three hours long & of medium difficulty. We know it’s hot out there, so we plan to get started early & finish before it heats up. We promise cold drinks at the end of the trail!

Join us for the following hikes:

• Thursday July 14: Jumbo Mountain Hike in Paonia, meet at Don’s Super Market at 7:30 a.m. for carpool, at trail-head by 8 a.m.We will be focusing on travel and trail issues and discussing how we can create a multi-use trail system while protecting the ecosystem.
• Sunday July 17: Potter/Monitor Canyon Hike, meet at Delta City Market at 7:30 a.m. for carpool, at trail-head by 8 a.m.Right outside of the Camelback Wilderness Study Area, we’ll be exploring a series of deep canyons and riparian forests in one of Delta’s remaining wild places.
• Saturday July 23: Dry Creek Hike, meet at Rim Road parking lot at 7:30 a.m. for carpool, at trail-head by 8:30 a.m.Outside of Montrose, we will hike along a steep canyon wall next to a small creek, seeing all sorts of plants and some petroglyphs.
• Sunday July 31: Adobes Hike, meet at Delta City Market at 7:30 a.m. for carpool, at trail-head by 8 a.m.Stark yet beautiful, our hike in the Adobe Badlands will focus on rare and threatened desert plants and travel management issues.
• Thursday July 28: Garfield County hike on Battlement Mesa co-hosted with Wilderness Workshop, meet at Grand Valley Rec Center at 8:00 a.m. Please make sure to register with Wilderness Workshop here.This hike will take us into lands at the heart of contested oil and gas leases in west Garfield County, hiking through spruce forests with stunning views of the Bookcliffs.

Can’t make the hike? How about a beer?

In case you can’t join us on the hikes, we are also co-hosting two “Conservation Happy Hours,” where you can join us for a beer and good conversation about the public land issues we are tackling in the Uncompahgre Resource Management Plan. We are still finalizing the details, but save the date, and we’ll send more information soon!

Tuesday July 12: Conservation Happy Hour at Jagged Edge Mountain Gear, 223 E Colorado Ave, Telluride from 6pm-8pm.

Wednesday July 13: Conservation Happy Hour at 2 Rascals Brewing CO,147 N 1st St Montrose from 5pm-7pm.

Please RSVP to emily@westerncoloradoalliance.org to attend, or let me know if you need more information. Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you on the trail and/or talking over some cold drinks!