TRAIL WORK WEEKEND PROJECT
2026 Canjilon Trail Work Project
As a part of the ongoing need to address backlogged maintenance, we will be working on logout and treadwork beginning at the beautiful lake.
- DATES: August 6 – 9, 2026
- LOCATION: Canjilon Lakes Trailhead, New Mexico
- DIFFICULTY: Moderate
- OPENINGS: FULL – Join the Waitlist
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Help maintain the New Mexico trail
Curious what it takes to keep the CDT open? Join us at Canjilon Lakes for three days of trail maintenance alongside our longtime local partners, New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors.
As part of the ongoing effort to address backlogged maintenance, we’ll be working right from the shores of the lakes: clearing downed trees from the trail (logout) and repairing the trail surface (treadwork). You’ll work side by side with NMVFO’s experienced crew leaders, who have been caring for New Mexico’s trails for decades. Learn more about their volunteer-led organization at https://nmvfo.org/.
Set among the high mountain lakes of the Carson National Forest near Tres Piedras, Canjilon is a beautiful place to spend a summer weekend. Volunteers arrive Thursday evening or early Friday morning, work through the weekend, and head out midday Sunday. Camping is frontcountry, so you can drive right to camp. CDTC provides experienced and trained leaders, all food, group kitchen gear, water, and safety equipment. No experience necessary; the work is moderate difficulty, and we’ll teach you everything you need on site.
Project Area (approximate)
A note on difficulty
Difficulty is rated Moderate.
We calculate this by considering miles traveled per day, elevation gain and loss, camping location, and the kind of work involved. This project involves a full day of hands-on trail work at high elevation, but frontcountry camping keeps the logistics easy, and our leaders will match tasks to your comfort and experience level. This is our best guess. If you’re unsure whether this project’s a good fit, please reach out.
What's provided
Our staff will provide all of the following for you to use during the weekend project:
What you should pack
We recommend packing the full frontcountry list (PDF here), including your camping setup.
Project Packing List
๐๏ธ Camping (2- and 3-day participants)
- โบ Tent with rainfly and ground cloth/footprint
- ๐ Sleeping pad
- ๐ค Sleeping bag rated for cold mountain nights
- ๐ชถ Pillow
- ๐ฝ๏ธ Camping dishware (plate or bowl, cup, utensils)
- ๐ฆ Headlamp
- ๐ช Camp chair
- ๐ Camp shoes
๐ Clothing
- ๐งฆ Hiking socks
- ๐ Long pants for the worksite, synthetic/jean/sturdy material (NO SHORTS) โ more than one pair recommended for multi-day
- ๐ Short and long sleeve shirts for layering
- ๐งฅ Insulating layer
- ๐ง๏ธ Rain jacket and rain pants
- ๐งค Warm gloves and warm hat (mountain weather shifts fast)
- ๐ Sun hat
โ๏ธ Work
- ๐ฅพ Sturdy work boots (no sneakers or sandals)
- ๐ Daypack large enough for water, food, raincoat, layers, and tools
- ๐ถ๏ธ Sunglasses
- ๐งด Sunscreen and lip balm
- ๐ง Minimum 3-liter water capacity
๐งด Personal
- ๐ฑ Personal snacks
- ๐ Personal medication
- ๐ฉธ Period products, if needed
- ๐งผ Hand sanitizer and soap
- ๐ฆ Insect repellent
- ๐งป Trowel, toilet paper, and Ziploc bags (pack it in, pack it out)
- โ๏ธ Small personal first aid kit
๐ Other (optional)
- ๐ Battery pack and charging cord
- ๐งญ Map and compass
- ๐ช Knife or multi-tool
- ๐ธ Camera or binoculars
- ๐งฃ Bandana
- ๐ Book
๐ซ Please leave at home
- ๐ถ Fuzzy friends (please, no dogs)
- ๐ Illegal substances
Frequently asked questions
How Can I Join Project?
We use a volunteer management software called Neon One, when you follow a registration link from our website it will redirect you to Neonโs site to register. You will be able to create an account so you can log in in the future without having to resubmit your information.
How Can I Prepare for My Project?
Itโs hard to anticipate everything youโll need, depending on the weather, location, and personal preferencesโฆbut hereโs a start!
What equipment is provided?
No tools necessary! Weโll have a range of tools and equipment for the project, and CDTC will also provide needed safety Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): hard hat (if needed, gloves, eye protection. You are welcome to bring your own gloves, eye projection, etc. if you prefer!
What does it cost to volunteer?
Totally free! You just need to get yourself to our worksite. Please keep in mind that while these events are free we would appreciate advance notice of you no longer being able to join a project, as we use registration numbers in several factors. Such as, how much food to buy and what, how much work we can expect to get done, etc.
Do you provide food? What about dietary restrictions?
- We provide food on all projects. For a Friday- Sunday project, we provide, Breakfast, lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday and provide Breakfast and lunch on Sunday.
- Our team is well versed in various dietary needs and restrictions. We can accommodate most diets but please think about risk factors or supplying your own food if you have a severe allergy.
Can I Bring My Pet?
We love our furry friends, but please leave them at home. If you have a service animal, please let us know when you register.
Whatโs a crew chef?
Crew chefs are volunteers whose job is toโฆ chef! The crew chef feeds the trail crew a hearty Breakfast, lunch and dinner. CDTC Crew Chef Training is required to be a crew chef. CDTC can help provide ideas, recipes and a shopping list. Food is paid for by CDTC, as a reimbursement to the crew chef.
Are children allowed?
Kids, under the age of 18, are welcome to join with a parent, depending on the project work. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have further questions.
Prohibited Items
We’re happy to have you join a project, but please refrain from*:
- Possession or use of firearms, except with volunteer packers whoโve been
approved by the Forest Service - Consumption of alcoholic beverages in excess
- Possession or use of any illegal drugs, including Marijuana as it is illegal on
federal land on which all of our projects take place - Fighting, use of derogatory language, intimidating behavior, discrimination, sexual harassment, or violent or threatening behavior
*These actions could result in dismissal from the project.
Not sure if this project is right for you?
Corey Torivio, our New Mexico Regional Representative, can answer any question โ big or small.