Trinidad River Corridor Watch

10/06/2026

On a recent post, a comment noted, that if nothing is done about it, the situation is going to get out of control. Another comment followed, it is already out of control. Is it out of control? That depends on where you are standing. And that depends on where you are looking.

Businesses and neighborhoods do not allow people to live on their private property or the immediate surroundings. Public park restrooms are locked to prevent damage and businesses can’t be expected to provide facilities to non-patrons. Nobody wants people contracting or spreading blood borne illnesses or overdosing on fentanyl tainted drugs, so clean paraphernalia and Narcan is available. All of these problems are addressed and somewhat “under control”.

Now, standing by the river what do we see? We see people living in our public park spaces. We see human waste bypassing treatment, entering the river water. We see needle “exchange”, legal distribution of syringes, pipes, tourniquets, Narcan, and the resulting amount of bio hazardous waste that is left to accumulate. Understand that under Colorado law, participants in authorized “needle exchange” programs are exempt from drug paraphernalia charges. That not only includes the personnel of the organizations that distribute them, but also includes clean needles, pipes, used needles with residual amounts of substance, and various other paraphernalia in the possession of the user participants.

What else do we see? Lots of unreported criminal behavior. Whether it’s looking the other way, minor property loss, not having any evidence, or fear of repercussions, unreported crimes, to a degree, represent confidence lost.

We deserve better, for overall public safety and order. And for their own health and safety, people engaged in these behaviors deserve better.

That is what we see. And this is what we’ve heard, residents say that persistent health and safety hazards and ongoing encampment conditions prevent families, sportsmen, nature lovers, and tourists from fully utilizing our public river spaces, effectively removing a prime municipal asset from safe public access.

There will be a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Trinidad, Colorado Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 135 N. Animas Street, Trinidad, Colorado, 81082

10/01/2026

Give to panhandlers or nonprofits?

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09/21/2026

W Cedar St. Bridge Poll: Looking at the Full Picture

Thank you to everyone who voted and joined the discussion on our recent poll!

When looking purely at overall vote volume, Outreach & Treatment Services (Option 4) received the highest share of total votes (35%).

At the same time, the comments receiving the highest community agreement (likes) focused heavily on immediate public safety—demanding active police patrols, strict ordinance enforcement, and legal accountability alongside trail cleanup.

Key Takeaway: Our community's feedback shows a clear desire for a two-pronged approach: pairing long-term care and treatment infrastructure with immediate, visible public safety enforcement to keep our river corridor clean and safe for everyone.

Next Steps: Real change requires direct civic engagement. If you want to see these priorities addressed, contact city leadership directly:
- Attend an Upcoming City Council Meeting: Share your thoughts during the public comment period.
- Reach Out Directly: Email or call your City Council members and the City Manager.

09/17/2026

W Cedar St. bridge. Below this bridge on the west side of the river is heavily trafficked at all hours. If nothing else, the regular presence of emergency vehicles illustrates the ongoing public health and safety hazards present there. This is also one of the easiest access points to see the river, though it is also the dirtiest. When travelers get off the highway, this is one of the first things they see, which may sway their decision on whether to stay and contribute to our local economy.

⚠️ Warning: Please do not go under this bridge.

You must comment to vote. You can choose as many options as you want or contribute other ideas. Please vote by commenting the corresponding number(s). The votes will be tallied and updated on this post.

What is the most urgent action needed?

1. More police presence
2. Immediate trash and hazardous-material cleanup
3. Better lighting and surveillance
4. Outreach and treatment services
5. Barriers or restricted access
6. Other - in comments

09/14/2026

Follow Trinidad River Corridor Watch if you are also concerned about public safety issues in our public spaces along our beautiful and underused Purgatory River. Like and share with your friends so they can also see change is coming!

09/14/2026

Awesome work! What an amazing group of volunteers and stewards of our river areas and trails!

09/12/2026

This City Council wants and needs to hear from our citizens! They do listen and try to address issues brought up by citizens. This is your chance to be heard. You want something changed, go tell them.

09/10/2026

“Colorado has outpaced all but two states, increasing overdose deaths by 17% over the last two years.”

The fight against fentanyl overdose in Colorado is failing. After years of declining rates, Common Sense Institute reports Colorado’s overdoses are increasing while the national average is…

09/09/2026

See the camp? It’s there, covered in branches and your chopped down trees. This is 50 feet from the blue Amtrak building on the same side of the river. Sunday evening, all 3 local emergency agencies responded to a call of an unconscious person there and found one.

Progress is being made, but we are not there yet. Speak out to your City and County leaders, they need to hear from you. SHARE our posts where they need to be seen. THIS is not a homeless problem, this is a drug problem.

All City Council members can also be contacted by email if speaking in public isn’t your thing.

Check out this original article that highlights all the work done on this particular section of your river:

https://coloradotu.org/blog/2012/11/reach-4-a-healthier-purgatoire-river

09/07/2026

On this Labor Day, we extend a special thanks and recognition of hard work to Our City’s Public Works Department Employees that have go clean these seemingly endless camps along our river. For our hero’s today we will spare them what they see everyday. The trash, drugs, needles, trees that get chopped down, and the inevitable human excrement all have to be cleaned by someone. Thank you.