New Hiking Trail Near Breckenridge

On a sunny day in mid June, about 60 young people donated their time to create a new 1 ½-mile hiking trail, just south of Breckenridge lodging in downtown. They volunteered through Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, in order to open the path July 26.

The passageway — named Turk’s Trail after Turk Montepare, a long-time local who helped obtain the 1,842 acres of land containing the trail — is about 1 mile east of Country Boy Mine.

The path meanders in a loop, which takes hikers over four small streams lined with moss and lush vegetation.

It took kids, age 12 and older, about an hour to clear each 100-foot section of the trail. But even with 5,000 hours of free labor, the project cost $42,000, most of which came from the Colorado State Trails Grants Program.

Knowing hiking trails are important to visitors who stay in Breckenridge vacation rentals, the town and Summit County officials offered the remaining $10,000 needed to complete the project. Then volunteers got to work, removing pine needles, leaves and bark that sometimes gathered up to 2-feet deep above the hard ground.

The singletrack should be popular with mountain bikers, as it includes boulders, drop-offs and tree stumps to maneuver over and around as it winds and turns through a tight corridor. (In case you didn’t bring your bike to your Breckenridge vacation rental, plenty of shops in town rent mountain bikes.)

Hikers will discover mining equipment and collapsed structures along the route.

But beyond the thrill of finding mining ruins that date back more than a century or zooming along an adrenaline-inducing ride, hiking trails offer everyone — locals and visitors in Breckenridge lodging — an escape from everyday stresses and crowded thinking.

There’s something about placing yourself in the middle of a forest — especially one like Turk’s Trail, which hasn’t been touched by many people because the trail is so new — that causes your mind to slow down, your breath to become more full and your senses more alive.

Walking through the woods connects people with the beauty of nature, which, let’s face it, Breckenridge vacation rentals can only mirror through their use of luxury mountain finishes like hardwood flooring and granite countertops.

And after any day of recreation in Summit County, it’s always nice to return to a comfortable Breckenridge vacation home, to sit out on the deck or relax in front of a glowing fire.

If you’re staying in Breckenridge lodging for a while and wish to get more involved with the community, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities. Specifically, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado can take you to areas you wouldn’t otherwise see, while, at the same time helping you contribute to the environment. For information on volunteering, visit www.voc.org.