Marilyn Russell
La Veta Trails Founder
La Veta, CO
October 24, 2024
We met Marilyn Russell of La Veta Trails on a patch of dirt sculpted into a trail across from the old school, on top of the older school, in La Veta, Colorado in the Huerfano River valley. In the small town of 800 people, looking up at the Spanish Peaks, Westies congregated to engage in some service learning. The La Veta Trails group helps to maintain 186,156 acres of land and maintains over 100 miles of trail.
As a retired public policy researcher, Marilyn knows firsthand the importance of access to community resources like walking and hiking trails. After moving to La Veta, Marilyn noticed the lack of accessible trails close to town, with residents pointing towards the Spanish Peaks for the closest hiking. After making a light-hearted joke about her age, Marilyn knew the town would benefit from closer hiking and walking trails. La Veta Trails group worked to revamp the walking trail in town, originally built by the school but partially neglected over time.
Marilyn also taught Westies a brief history of the culture-rich region. She wanted a change from the city, and happily reported that the county has only two stoplights! Westies engaged in service learning, pulling invasive weeds in the walking loop in town, Canadian thistle, Cheatgrass, and Russian thistle. Many hands make light work, and Westies worked hard to reduce the invasive species and rebuild parts of the trail. Service learning is a key part of Semester In the West, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding and engagement with the community.
by Owen Schott