New informational kiosk centered on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Culture and Landscape
The community of Salida and the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) hosted their Downtown Salida Kiosk unveiling in May of 2024 at the Su Casa! Furniture Store. The event will celebrate the installation of a new kiosk information station that highlights the town’s proximity to the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT).
“Placing a kiosk with information about the CDT, the history of the culture and landscape, and responsible recreation benefits residents and visitors,” said Jordan Williams (he/him), CDTC Colorado Regional Representative. “Our goal in creating these resources is to display useful and accessible information about nearby recreation-access points and local town amenities, as well as raise awareness about the national treasure that is the CDT.”
The Gateway Community Volunteer Committee–an advisory group made of local representatives– assembled the information on the kiosk to align the project with the community’s needs. Visitor use and awareness of the CDT has been shown to increase tourism and outdoor recreation-related expenditures, according to CDTC’s 2023 Small Business Survey. In the survey, 73% of respondents believe that CDT events, programs, and projects have increased awareness, foot traffic, and business engagement since their Gateway Community was designated.
Salida and other communities–including Leadville-Twin Lakes–are officially designated CDT Gateway Communities and have growing outdoor recreation economies that benefit from the co-location of the nearby CDT and Colorado Trail. These communities are implementing new initiatives that increase awareness of their connection to the iconic CDT and promote a sustainable outdoor recreation economy and responsible recreation messaging.
The new kiosk is the culmination of a collaborative project spearheaded by the Salida Gateway Community Volunteer Committee and CDTC, but implemented in partnership with many groups, including the Salida Chamber of Commerce, Su Casa! Furniture, the Ute History Museum, the Chipeta Mountain Project, Robert Thayer with GeoPrizma, and Pannier Graphics.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
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About CDT Gateway Communities
Towns and counties that self-select to be designated as official CDT Gateway Communities are friendly to trail users and dedicated to the completion and protection of the trail. CDTC partners with Gateway Communities to give visitors a great experience and to continue our work completing, promoting, and protecting the Continental Divide Trail. More information
About the Continental Divide Trail
The CDT is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging, and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors annually. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 150 miles are still in need of protection.
About the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
The CDTC was founded in 2012 by volunteers and recreationists
