Every year the Greenway Leadership corps partners with The Nature Conservancy. and Wildland restoration volunteers to build trails in phantom canyon. Phantom Canyon is a rim-to-rim roadless canyon, encompassing four miles of the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River. There is so much to see in the canyon, and this weekend alone we saw a rattlesnake, bald eagle, vultures, and pronghorn antelope. Overall, there are over 100 bird species that have been spotted in the grassy uplands, along the river’s edge and flying above the canyon walls. And the varied topography, slope and soil conditions combine to create habitat for more than 200 plant species, including many kinds of cactus and wildflowers.
On Thursday Morning the GLC team headed up to Phantom canyon where they met with the land manager for TNC Andrew and WRV Volunteer Community Coordinator ,Adam and a volunteer Rylee. We got straight to work after a quick safety talk. Rylee was super knowledgeable about what a good trail looked like and what the best way to build a trail was to ensure it would outlive many generations. We spent the day reinforcing water drainage point to make sure when it rain water is being rerouted instead of eroding the trail. We learned about different potential projects that could be done in the area to ensure a sager and long lasting trail. Everyone did their part in making the stretch of trail we were working on safe for animals and people walking through.
After trail building we got to explore the area and go into the canyon and across multiple rivers. During our hike we even found a place to swim ! Everyone joined us for that hike and had an amazing time exploring. We even ran into a rattle snake crossing the trail. To end such a beautiful day we all went on a night walk where we found the perfect rocks and layer down to see the stars. The sky was so clear you could see the milky way. What an amazing view.
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The next day we had an early morning ate breakfast and headed out for another hike. We decided to explore the other side of the canyon. This side dd not disappoint there was many river crossings. It was the best way to end the trip and sleep the whole way home.
Memorable Family Fun Event at Johnson Habitat Park