09/07/2026
🥾 Gill Trail Stewardship Update | Cheesman Canyon
A lot of great work has taken place this summer to improve and conserve the trails in Cheesman Canyon!
Our construction partner, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, has been hard at work improving the Gill Trail and riverside access—and we were thrilled to have our largest volunteer turnout yet, with 13 volunteers joining us for a day of work, learning, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the improvements.
🦋 And we had a pretty special bonus!
Volunteers received a private presentation on the Pawnee Montane Skipper, a small but incredibly fast butterfly found only in Cheesman Canyon and a limited area surrounding it. Learning about this unique species gave us a whole new appreciation for what can be found right along the trail. With wildflowers blooming throughout the canyon right now, there is plenty to discover if you slow down and look around!
🎣 Anglers will notice some exciting improvements, too.
You can now follow the improved trail down to Family Hole, then turn onto the River’s Edge Trail and work your way upstream. When you're ready to head back up, two new rock staircases provide improved access back to the Gill Trail.
That means an easier trip out—and no more scrambling up the slope to get back to the trail.
Looking ahead, we want to hear from you. Our next step is to gather feedback on the work completed over the past two years and use your input to help guide improvements on the next section of the Gill Trail into the Inner Canyon.
A huge THANK YOU to Rocky Mountain Field Institute, our partners, our volunteers, and everyone who has helped make these improvements possible. This project is about protecting Cheesman Canyon while making it more accessible for anglers, hikers, and future generations.
Every River Needs a Champion. 🎣
