Education: our stewardship ethos
Join us in pledging to promote positive impacts while minimizing negative ones!
In order to ensure our beautiful area can be enjoyed while continuing to provide thriving wildlife habitat and protect vital natural resources for years to come, we encourage you to be a responsible user of these places.
Check out these educational sites to help you be better prepared and know how to recreate responsibly
What do you do when you come to a muddy section of the trail? Walk through that mud!! Going around the mud widens the trail, creating more erosion and plant damage. Visit the LNT website to learn more ways to minimize your impact with their 7 Principles.
To stay safe and keep others from having to risk their safety to rescue you, know and carry the "10 Essentials." Bonus! Take along the 11th to be a better steward of the landscape. ​​Read more on American Hiking Society.
What's the best way to be safe in the water? Knowing how to swim! Also, know your own limits, as even confident and strong swimmers can get into trouble. Follow, share and contribute to this guidance to safely recreate in, on, or around water. Read more on Recreate Responsibly.
Climbing our mountains is work - so give that up-hill person the right of way! Let them keep on keeping on up the trail. When you step aside, seek a rock to stand on as that's your most durable choice, Avoid trampling the plants trailside.
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Durango Trails summarizes the simple guidelines to practice trail etiquette. Sharing the trail ensures we can all enjoy the natural wonders of our area. ​
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Stay on the trail.
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If the trails are wet or muddy, it’s not the day to hike or ride. Check our Trail Conditions Report to double check conditions before heading out.
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If another trail user approaches you, say hello, especially if they say hi first. Remember that trails connect us to one another!
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Mountain bikers trudge and toil to get uphill; please let them through to do so.
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When other trail users try to pass you, let them. In general, other trail users should say “on your left” as they pass so you can move to the right out of their way. (If trying to pass someone yourself, make sure to announce yourself as well!)
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When approaching a horse on the trail, be sure to: announce yourself so the rider and horse both hear you; be clearly visible; pull off to the lowside of the trail to allow them to pass; and say hi!
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Please keep your dog on a leash or under voice control.
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Give back to the trails you love by volunteering and donating to area trail organizations.
Learn more about Trail Rules 101 from Durango Trails. ​​
Know what constitutes responsible OHV use and modify and mitigate irresponsible use in an effort to minimize resource damage on public land. Learn trail tips and etiquette from Stay the Trail Colorado.
Know the safety essentials of snowmobiling. Take the Snowmobile Safety Awareness Program
Hunting and Angling in Colorado
Review the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) hunting and fishing regulations to become/remain an ethical sportsperson while in the field.
By following the above practices, you can decrease your chances of accidents happening. Should the need arise, Colorado residents and visitors are well served by dedicated volunteer search and rescue teams.
Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR)
The Colorado Search and Rescue Association (CSAR) brings organizations together to find, rescue and recover those in need in the Colorado backcountry. The Colorado backcountry begins where the roads end.
Composed of volunteers from our member backcountry search and rescue (BSAR) teams, CSAR assists and empowers through public education, advocacy, coordination, collaboration, and continuous skill development.
By purchasing a CORSAR card, you are contributing to the Search and Rescue Fund, which will reimburse these teams for costs incurred in search and rescue across the State of Colorado. The CORSAR card is available for $3 for a one-year card and $12 for a five-year card.
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Please note the CORSAR card is not insurance and does not reimburse individuals nor does it pay for medical transport.
La Plata County Search and Rescue
LPC SAR does their best to put themselves out of business! You can help by keeping your cell phone on. If you are in trouble, that phone needs to be at-the-ready to tell SAR where you are. Take a battery/solar charger. Apple SOS is a satellite based system on iPhone 14 and newer. Google Pixel 9 series and Samsung Galaxy S25 are options. Get proficient at home before you go on your adventure!! Same for GPS device: Garmin/SPOT/PLB (personal locator Beacon. Consider having a RECCO reflector; they're not just for avalanches anymore.
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​You can support their mission by donating to their fundraising efforts.
Silverton Medical Rescue, San Juan county
​Silverton Medical Rescue (nonprofit, 501(C)(3)) is one of the first combination EMS and Search & Rescue teams in the State of Colorado, which affords the ability to provide the highest level of emergency care possible in both the town of Silverton and the austere environment of San Juan County.
SMR provides an advanced continuity of care from the field to the hospital, and this standard has yielded incredible patient outcomes. This unique framework of mountain rescue-emergency care has proven to be the most effective model of emergency medical services San Juan County has ever had.​
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You can support their mission by donating to their nonprofit.
Living with Wildlife
Southwest Colorado is graced with abundant wildlife, which comes with the responsibility to safely live with wildlife. Supporting wildlife conservation and habitat through protection, preservation, and stewardship is a foundational element of SCCORR's purpose. You can help by keeping wildlife wild.
The following links provide detailed information for living with specific species: ​
​Bats
Bears: Bear Smart Durango YouTube video
Bears: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Information page
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Additional Colorado Parks and Wildlife articles, such as Crossing Paths with Wildlife, Help Prevent Wildlife Conflicts, and information on protecting your home, pets, campsite, can be found on their "Living with Wildlife" page.