Volunteers restore trails at Garden of the Gods before budget cuts

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Nathan Tabbert wiped the sweat off his forehead as he lugged the end of a five-foot log over his shoulder as another volunteer steered them up two flights of stairs at Garden of the Gods. 

“It’s hard work to maintain these trails,” said Tabbert, 41. “I didn't realize how much actually goes into some of the work on the trails.”

Tabbert was part of a group of nearly two dozen volunteers who removed and replaced old wooden steps at the city park with Rocky Mountain Field Institute, a public lands conservation nonprofit in Colorado Springs. 

Volunteers have been an important component of maintaining the park, said Anna Cordova, the manager of Garden of the Gods. 

But RMFI’s volunteer work on September 27 for National Public Land day came right as the city faced a budget shortfall, which resulted in the city decreasing the Garden of the Gods budget by $23,305. This cut will reduce the park's seasonal operations, such as adjusting hours for temporary employees, and also decrease the uniform budget, Cordova said.

Charles Elliot Perkins, an American businessman and president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, originally bought 240 acres of land in Garden of the Gods in 1879. After he died, his children donated 480 acres to the city of Colorado Springs, where it became — and remains — a free public park. 

Over the past three years, Garden of the Gods has recorded at least 4 million annual visitors, Cordova said. Garden of the Gods has 19 permanent employees and relies heavily on volunteers, Cordova said. The park staff is currently working on projects like realigning the Ute trail, and restoration to the Siamese Twin Loop and Dakota trails. Volunteers, like those with RMFI, help with path restoration.