Spring festival offers education and community.
SILVER CITY, NM (March 3, 2023) – The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) will host Trail Days, taking place from April 21-23 in Silver City.
Trail Days is a community event that provides opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, locals, and families to learn and connect over topics relating to nature and the outdoors. The three-day event offers a variety of activities, including speakers, wildlife education, family entertainment, live music, vendor trade show, and a free pancake breakfast on Saturday morning. Guided community hikes are also planned for Sunday in partnership with Heart of the Gila.
Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of the CDTC commented, “Trail Days started as a way to celebrate Silver City as the first gateway community and provide a place for travelers along the CDT to interact with community members, while also highlighting all the amazing things Silver City has to offer.”
The event coincides with the beginning of the thru-hiking season on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST).
North-bound hikers will be attempting the 3,100 mile hike from the South end to the Northern border with Canada. Departure dates are based on snowpack in the mountainous regions, and thru-hikers have used the event as a gathering place during the first section of the Trail.
The weekend event culminates in an Earth Day celebration at Gough park on Saturday, April 22. The celebration is planned in partnership with Gila Earth Day. During Saturday’s festival, there will be musical performances, family-friendly activities, and vendor and non-profit booths geared towards local biodiversity initiatives, outdoor recreation, and trail communities.
“As an organization, Trail Days has been a great way to reaffirm our commitment to this amazing, off-the-beaten-path community. Over the years we have provided free meals and free community access to things like a kids’ jump-house, great presentations, and opportunities to learn about, not just the CDT, but the entire region,” said Martinez.
The first official Trail Days was in 2015, and this year marks the seventh year of the CDTC’s collaboration with the community of Silver City and other partners to draw crowds to Silver City.
“Since the first event, to this past year, the event has grown and brought even more people to learn, share and celebrate the CDT,” Martinez added, “and it continues to be something that brings communities together.”
All Trail Days activities are free and open to the public. More information about Trail Days can be found at continentaldividetrail.org/trail-days.
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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 each year. 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 hoping to provide a unified voice for the Trail. Working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land management agencies, the CDTC is a non-profit partner supporting stewardship of the CDT. The mission of the CDTC is to complete, promote and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, a world-class national resource.
