Trinidad is poised to become a leader in recreation and tourism destination evolution as it emerges from a post pandemic reality. An increase in Colorado’s population led by urban to rural flight, along with the explosive popularity of outdoor recreation and tourism related activities is driving a greater number of residents and visitors to “explore more” of the state.
This is pushing increased activity into the less discovered places, like Trinidad. This is why now is an opportune time to initiate a larger conversation around alternative transportation solutions that combine bicycle tourism and passenger rail service. The future sustainability of our outdoor communities is at stake as outdoor recreation and tourism contribute to the regeneration of rural towns like Trinidad after decades of socio-economic decline. Bicycle travel and Amtrak passenger rail service are positioned to play a lead role in how and where people live, work, and play along the expanding I-25 corridor of Colorado. It will help manage the way people move about the region, while assisting with the preservation of a quality of life that attracts people to
mountain rural towns in the first place. An increasingly pronounced side effect of our hyper social media aware society is an advancement of an “explore more” mentality that drives people towards the more remote parts of the West. Rural communities, such as Trinidad, are inherently impacted significantly as in and out of state visitors digitally discover new places to spend their time and money. People constantly posting status updates and photos of their outdoor adventures exponentially impacts a town in a short period of time. The influx of tourism traffic profoundly changes the way people experience a community, especially one transitioning towards becoming a “bike destination”. With the recent opening of Fisher Peak State Park, the southern Front
Photo Credit: Alpenglow Train Tours
An innovative and bold vision around sustainable community development and growth is emerging in a most unlikely place. The southern Front Range, specifically the mountain town of Trinidad, Colorado.
