When IMBA’s Joey Klein first set foot in Silverton, Colorado, in October 2018, snow already blanketed Hancock and Quarry roads. The Silverton Singletrack Society (SSS), a small, volunteer-led nonprofit, had a vision for a trail system that would connect the town’s passion for the outdoors with a sustainable economic future.

Years later, that vision is becoming a defining part of Silverton’s story.

“People who initially had doubts have seen that we can actually do it,” says SSS fundraiser Lisa Branner. “In over 25 years of fundraising, I’ve never faced such an uphill battle. It’s taken a lot of perseverance and community trust.”

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From Beer Money to Big Momentum

Silverton’s trail story began modestly, literally with “beer money.” Proceeds from local beer sales at races in Durango seeded the dream of a non-motorized, singletrack trail network. Every dollar mattered. The town, the county, and residents chipped in small donations that proved community buy-in long before large grants came into view.

Located high in the San Juan Mountains, Silverton is home to roughly 700 year-round residents and surrounded by 89% public land: a spectacular but challenging backdrop for a community with limited tax revenue and short build seasons. “Our funding stack looks very different from the Front Range,” Branner says. “Until people set foot here, they don’t understand how remote we are or how tight-knit this community is.”

That determination carried SSS through years of planning and permitting. When construction on the first six miles of the Baker’s Park Trail System began in 2023, it wasn’t just a ribbon-cutting: it was proof that small, volunteer-driven communities could deliver big, professional-grade projects. Significantly, this proof of concept and trails on the ground opened up larger funding opportunities.

“This is our fourth attempt at Great Outdoors Colorado funding,” Branner says. “Finally getting it is a huge vote of confidence. Once we had trails on the ground, that changed everything. It showed funders and neighbors alike what’s possible.”

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A Strong Partnership Network

The success of Baker’s Park has drawn a coalition of state, federal, and nonprofit partners united around a shared vision for recreation-based community development.

At the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (CORIO), Matthew Nunez serves as Program Manager for the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant, which uses federal recovery funding to create outdoor-related jobs. CORIO awarded a 2024 grant to SSS to support planning efforts for Baker’s Park: work that IMBA’s Trail Solutions team completed with San Juan County and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

“I was astounded by the community’s reception when I visited in August,” Nunez recalls. “The economic impact of mountain biking and outdoor recreation is well documented, but it’s not always easy to get it right. It’s so exciting to see a community embrace new outdoor recreation pursuits like Silverton has, and to do it with such thoughtfulness about stewardship and sustainability.”

Nunez points out the scale of what’s underway: “The Baker’s Park system will support over ten jobs in Silverton, which is massive for a community of that size. It’s also hard to believe there were fewer than ten miles of biking trails in the area before this project. This is literally breaking new ground on a new economic catalyst for Silverton.”

He credits Lisa and Klem Branner for their leadership. “They’re both rockstars,” he says. “They’ve done an incredible job of rallying support and turning a long-shot idea into real, on-the-ground progress.”

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GOCO’s Long View of Community Impact

Mike Wight, Senior Program Officer at Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), has been following Silverton’s progress for years. GOCO, which reinvests 100% of Colorado’s lottery proceeds into outdoor projects statewide, awarded the $750,000 Community Impact grant that will fund much of Baker’s Park Phase 2.

“Silverton is a special place in the majestic San Juan Mountains,” says Wight. “This small, historic mining community is transitioning from extractive industry, and Silverton Singletrack Society has done an amazing job promoting this project, gathering local support, and exemplifying how recreation can be an economic driver.”

For Wight, what stands out is both the professionalism and the inclusiveness of the effort. “From the beginning, SSS engaged IMBA in concept design, project management, and construction to ensure a high-quality, sustainable product,” he says. “They’ve also worked closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to incorporate seasonal closures that protect wildlife and habitat.”

The project’s community-building reach is already visible. Wight recalls attending the Baker’s Park grand opening: “We were joined on the trail by pedaling kids as young as nine and hikers over eighty years old. That really highlights the broad impact this resource is already having. It’s connecting generations to place.”

IMBA Planning and Shovel-Ready Progress

In late summer 2025, IMBA Trail Solutions planners returned to Silverton to map roughly 20 additional miles of future trail across Phases 2 and 3. The planning makes the entire system shovel-ready once BLM approvals are complete.

“IMBA’s support for this project has been notable from the beginning,” Wight says. “With proof of concept gained via the first six miles, demonstrated community support, and diverse users expressing multi-benefits, the time was right to move quickly. The result was a successful GOCO application and an award that will help construct at least ten more miles of trail and sustain the project’s momentum.”

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Building an Economy Around Adventure

For decades, Silverton’s economy revolved around mining, and later around the steam train that brings summer visitors from Durango. When the train stops running each fall, businesses close and workers leave. Trails are helping change that pattern.

“Baker’s Park helps fill that gap,” says Branner. “It brings year-round outdoor activity that supports small businesses and gives people reasons to stay.”

Silverton’s remoteness is both its challenge and its magic. “You don’t end up in a place like Silverton by accident,” Branner says. “People come here for the quiet, the views, the connection to nature. Trails amplify that: they help people experience this place.”

For Wight, the project also represents something larger: the way recreation can sustain rural Colorado’s future. “Silverton is one of those quintessential mountain towns that hasn’t yet benefited from close-to-home, purpose-built trails,” he says. “Now it’s becoming a model for how small towns can build something lasting through collaboration.”

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The Little Town That Could

Branner credits early vision from San Juan County, steadfast collaboration with the BLM, and years of volunteer dedication for making the project possible. “We’ve learned to take small, fundable pieces and build as we go,” she says. “That’s how you get big things done in a small place.”

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office estimates the project will generate at least ten new local jobs—a significant boost for a town of 700. But beyond economics, Baker’s Park is giving Silverton something deeper: pride and purpose.

“Our county administrator calls us ‘the little town that could,’” Branner says. “We’re small, but we’re mighty. We take one small step after another, stay persistent, and make things happen. Ten years later, we’re seeing the results, and we’re just getting started.”

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