BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) — Barr Lake State Park is now a designated Leave No Trace Gold Standard Site, just the 13th park in the county to reach the status.
Barr Lake State Park joins two other Colorado State Parks, Castlewood Canyon and Roxborough, in achieving the standard, which encourages and educates visitors on respecting the outdoors by minimizing the impact of their visits.
Leave No Trace’s Gold Standard Sites meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrates successful implementation of Leave No Trace outdoor skills and ethics into management, programming, outreach and education efforts at the site.
- Formally trains staff and community partners in Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics.
- Includes Leave No Trace language and messaging on signs at trailheads, visitor centers and campgrounds as well as in pamphlets, maps and other distributed materials for visitors.
- Facilitates Leave No Trace interpretive programs including ranger talks, campfire events and trail outings for visitors.
“Leave No Trace principles are important for all our natural areas, communities and our neighborhoods,” said Michelle Seubert, park manager of Barr Lake.
“Barr Lake has been working with a core group of volunteers for the past year-and-a-half to move our park goals and programs towards an emphasis on Leave No Trace principles.”
A presentation is scheduled for noon on Saturday at the Nature Center Pavilion.
Leave No Trace Gold Standard Sites:
- San Juan Islands National Monument – Lopez Island, Wash.
- Knob Noster State Park – Knob Noster, Mo.
- New River Gorge National River – Glen Jean, W. Va.
- Isle Royale National Park – Houghton, Mich.
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – Sandy Springs, Ga.
- Coconino National Forest – Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Cheaha State Park – Delta, Ala.
- Olympic National Park – Port Angeles, Wash.
- Shenandoah National Park – Luray, Va.
- Acadia National Park – Bar Harbor, Maine
- Roxborough State Park – Roxborough, Colo.
- Castlewood Canyon State Park – Franktown, Colo.
- Barr Lake State Park – Brighton, Colo.