Off the Beaten Path with VOC
Step Off the Beaten Path and Onto Unique, Meaningful Projects with VOC
Looking for meaningful weekend volunteer opportunities in Colorado? VOC’s overnight stewardship projects offer the chance to explore incredible places while giving back outdoors.
The remainder of VOC’s stewardship projects open for registration on Monday, June 1st (mark your calendars!).
While we have a whole season of amazing projects planned, some are in places you wouldn't initially think to visit, and honestly, these projects might fly under the radar despite all they offer. But we think they're worth highlighting, so more people can experience Colorado in all its glory.
So, we asked volunteers and staff who have been to these locations to share what makes these experiences special.
Explore these projects and learn:
- Why they're worth the drive
- What makes an overnight project worth dedicating a weekend to
- What stuck with folks when they got home (aside from the dust and sweat, of course!).
Consider making one of these projects your weekend getaway.
1. 3-day: American Lakes Trail Reroute at State Forest State Park
July 17 - 19 | Ages 18+ | View Opportunity >>
Why You Should Go:
This project gives volunteers a chance to spend a weekend working in a beautiful backcountry setting near the American Lakes Trail. Volunteers will enjoy pre-reserved camping, delicious meals, and a chance to help complete a trail reroute that has been years in the making
From the Field:
Volunteers often tell us that VOC’s overnight projects are about more than the work itself:
"VOC's multi-day projects are such a great way to get away, discover new places, and connect with good people. With the food, camping, and logistics handled, you can focus on the work, the community, and the feeling that you did something meaningful for Colorado." — VOC Volunteer
VOC seasonal staff also highlighted what makes the American Lakes project location memorable:
“Alpine lakes, National Park access, and rock scrambling are all available within miles of the worksite. Another joy of working on American Lakes was helping refine an alpine trail at a world-class destination that VOC has a long history of working on.” — VOC Staff
Why the Work Matters:
Since 2023, VOC's volunteer crews have completed nearly 600 feet of new trail reroute, with
only 260 feet left
before this section can open to the public.
This project will help create a safer and more comfortable route for equestrians and mountain bikers by rerouting visitors away from a steep, deeply eroded trail with loose rock.
2. Meadow Restoration Rock Structures at Upper Yampa River Basin
August 15 - 16 | Ages 16+ | View Opportunity >>
Why Explore This Area?
This remote project brings volunteers to a quiet (but over-grazed) meadow surrounded by rolling, forested hills. It is the kind of place many people may never have a reason to visit otherwise, but once you're there, the beauty of the landscape and the importance of the work become clear.
There is also room for fun! Last year, one volunteer got the whole group playing Viking Chess (Kubb) on Saturday evening until the last bit of daylight disappeared, turning a quiet evening at camp into a full-on tournament.
What Volunteers Remember:
For volunteers who enjoy habitat restoration, this project offers a different kind of stewardship experience:
“The rock work for this project up in the Yampa River Basin, and other wet meadow projects like this, is, in my opinion, more fun and creative than trail work! You're building structures that reduce or prevent erosion, so each structure is unique to the erosion you're correcting, and each one is like a fun puzzle.” — VOC Volunteer
Volunteers also shared that one of the most rewarding parts of this project is learning directly from the partner organizations leading this work:
“Every time I'm on a project like this, there are always incredible representatives from the partner organizations...These folks are the most interesting and passionate people I've met, and there's always a ton to learn from them.” — VOC Volunteer
Why the Work Matters:
The impact of the work is also one of the most rewarding parts of this project. One volunteer shared that she felt “like our work was really needed,” adding, “It’s a place where wildlife will really thrive if we can help those wetlands regain a place on the landscape.”
For generations, this meadow has been shaped by grazing, homesteading, mining, and recreation.
This restorative work doesn't just matter to the land. It matters to people who want to be a voice for nature and take a stand against overuse.
“My sweat and muscles become my voice for what matters to me.” — VOC Volunteer
3. Southern Plains Land Trust Trail Construction & Surfacing at Las Animas
August 29 - 30 | Ages 14+ | View Opportunity >>
Why Make the Trip?
The prairie has a way of surprising people. At Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLIT), volunteers often get a chance to see bison, donkeys, and other prairie wildlife during a safari-style tour led by SPLT staff. Camping on the land trust is not open to the general public, making this a special opportunity to experience the preserve in a way most visitors can't.
And if you have volunteered with Crew Chef Rose before, you may already know that her cookies are part of the draw too!
From the Field:
The prairie has a way of staying with people:
“Each time I work in the prairie, I’m surprised by its immensity and diversity. The prairie shares different perspectives of itself each year, each season, each unfolding day and closing evening…These projects, locations, and experiences always gift me something. I leave inspired, invigorated, and hopeful." — VOC Volunteer
The wildlife viewing and learning opportunities at Southern Plains Land Trust also stand out:
"The wildlife was incredible! We saw and learned about so many different species, and how Southern Plains Land Trust plays a vital role in protecting habitat in this region. Some of the animals we spotted included bison, wild horses, tarantulas, prairie dogs, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and more." — VOC Staff
Why the Work Matters:
The southern plains of Colorado support a surprising diversity of species in its open grasslands and riparian areas. This project is all about helping local communities connect more deeply with all that the area has to offer by helping to construct a trail that will provide public access to the Purgatoire River. This trail will create a new outdoor recreation opportunity for Las Animas and the surrounding communities.
Why It’s Worth the Drive:
Blanca Wetlands is a renowned birding area located about 30 minutes from Great Sand Dunes National Park. Volunteers often get to learn directly from land managers about the ecosystem and why removing Russian olive matters for the wetlands and wildlife.
What Stood Out to Volunteers:
This is one of those projects where volunteers may be able to see the impact of their work almost immediately:
“What was memorable (and very cool to me) happened at the close of the last day of the project cutting down the Russian olive trees sucking up massive amounts of water around the natural spring. We’d been working hard to clear all the way around the perimeter (which we achieved).
As we were getting our gear together, a few of us had the privilege to see a phenomenon that had not occurred in several decades…cutting down all those trees had freed up so much water that it actually began to overflow into an old natural drainage. I loved that!"
— VOC Volunteer
Why the Work Matters:
Russian Olive is a List B species under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, meaning its spread needs to be actively stopped. A single Russian Olive tree can consume up to 75 gallons of water per day, taking water away from the wetlands and the wildlife that depend on them.
What's to Love About the Area:
Top of the Pines is a 175-acre nature preserve near Ouray, Ridgway, and Telluride. Set among ponderosa pines with views of the San Juan Mountains, this project offers volunteers a chance to camp, work, and spend time in a place that feels quintessentially Colorado.
It is also close to Ridgway State Park, making it a great option for volunteers who want to extend the trip with paddleboarding, fishing, hiking, and extra camping nearby.
Volunteer Perspective:
For many volunteers, overnight projects are a chance to camp and spend time in places they may not have discovered otherwise:
“I love the overnight projects because you get to camp in places that may not usually be available to camp. We get out into some amazing, remote, beautiful places that I wouldn’t have otherwise ever seen. And, since a lot of these projects are more remote, the stars are always amazing!” — VOC Volunteer
Why the Work Matters:
Volunteers will help construct a trail connection to an existing biking trail, expanding recreation opportunities on this public open space.
Get Ready For Your Next Adventure with VOC.
The one thing all of these places have in common is that they require some extra effort to get to and they all offer something memorable in return: beautiful places, exclusive camp sites, good meals, and time with people who care about Colorado’s outdoors.
Want to be notified when these projects open for registration?
Join the waitlist for these projects now to be notified when registration opens on Monday, June 1.
View VOC's list of Summer and Fall projects before June 1st and plan out your volunteer season. See you out there!
Recent Posts
