Press Release: TPA Trail Crew Delivers Early-Season Results Across Colorado
Strategic partnerships and boots-on-the-ground impact lead strong start to 2025 trail season
The Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA) Trail Crew has hit the ground running in 2025, completing four field hitches since launching in late April. Led by veteran trail foreman Troy Sitton, the three-person crew has already supported five different BLM Field Offices and USFS Ranger Districts and logged impressive numbers in trail restoration, reconstruction, and access reopening.
With a regional agreement in place with the USFS Rocky Mountain Region—encompassing Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas—the TPA Trail Crew is focusing its 2025 efforts in Colorado. All 2025 trail crew operations are being fully funded by the Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA). Thanks to a 2026 CPW OHV grant on the horizon and the guidance of trail professionals, Greg Hamilton and Troy Sitton, the program is expanding its footprint and deepening agency partnerships statewide.
2025 Season to Date: (as of June 11)
- 606 miles of trail ridden
- 122.5 miles of trail maintained
- 742 trees cut out
- 17 hazard trees felled
- 122 drainages cleared
- 15 new drainages built
- 135 feet of reroutes completed
- 270 feet of reconstructed tread
- 4,355 feet of debris cleared
- 5,560 feet of corridor cleared
- 5 signs installed
- 151 trail contacts made
Agencies & Districts Served So Far:
- BLM Royal Gorge Field Office
- Salida Ranger District (PSICC)
- BLM Grand Junction
- Grand Valley Ranger District (Uncompahgre NF)
- Sulphur Ranger District (Arapaho NF)
Notable Accomplishments by Hitch:
- Hitch 1: Field setup, first fieldwork in the Fourmile Travel Management Area (BLM/Salida RD). Gates unlocked, agency staff briefed, and interim support provided before USFS OHV crews were active.
- Hitch 2: Grand Junction BLM—major reconstruction of The Edge Loop trail using boulders to rebuild an unrideable section. Adjacent Uncompahgre NF trails also cleared.
- Hitch 3: Rampart Range—mapped 6 miles of potential reroutes with RRMMC. Extensive planning and data collection shared with partners. Early-season trail hazards mitigated.
- Hitch 4: Sulphur RD—728 trees cut, 2 creek crossings rebuilt, 130 feet of trail reconstructed. West Stillwater Pass Trail reopened after nearly five years of closure due to East Troublesome Fire damage.
Crew Model & Leadership:
- Foreman Troy Sitton, former leader of the Granby-based Statewide FS Crew, provides expert guidance to Trail Crew members, Carl Brown and Mike Tuinstra, along with long standing trusted agency relationships.
- Greg Hamilton supports the crew statewide, assisting with trail work, agency planning, and public land policy. He is actively building 2026 trail project pipelines with BLM and USFS offices across Colorado.
The TPA Trail Crew operates on an 8-days-on, 6-days-off rotation and has 14 hitches scheduled for the 2025 season. With a statewide reputation for high-quality, collaborative trail work, the TPA Crew is becoming an essential on-the-ground partner for land managers.
To learn more or to support the TPA Trail Crew’s work, visit www.coloradotpa.org.