Vail’s water is the cleanest around, and it tastes great too!

Did you know that Vail’s Gore Creek and the Upper Eagle River are part of the headwaters of the Colorado River watershed? Humans purchase a million plastic water bottles per minute around the globe, and 91 percent of all plastic is not recycled. Do us all a favor and pack along a reusable water bottle. Plus, you’ll find ways to fill it up — for free!

Restore the Gore

A little wild goes a long way.

Gore Creek—the clear, rocky mountain stream that runs through the heart of Vail—offers a peaceful respite for residents and visitors, important wildlife habitat, and water supply for downstream...

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Yes, 40 million people!

Plus, 7 states and 2 in the Republic of Mexico. And 80% of water in the Colorado River originates right here on the west slope of Colorado.

Did you know there are four species of trout? Catch a rainbow, brown, brook and  greenback trout in one day for the Colorado Grand Slam.

Help us protect the trails we all love and consider taking the free bus to the trailhead of your hiking or biking adventure. Parking spaces are limited at many Vail trailheads, and the bus system from Vail, Lionshead, East Vail and West Vail stops at or near the surrounding trailheads.

NEW Summer 2023: Take the Town of Vail Express Hiking Bus that leaves from the Vail Transportation Center on the 15 and 45 every hour for a 10 minute ride to popular trailheads.

Just park (free in the summer) in the Vail Village or Lionshead parking structure.  If you park in Lionshead, take a free in-town bus to the Covered Bridge stop in Vail Village. Take the hiker express bus leaving on the 15 and 45 every hour from the Vail Transportation Center to get to East Vail trailheads.

For seasonal bus routes and times, visit vailgov.com/bus-schedules or pick up a schedule at Vail Village Parking & Transportation Center.

SUMMER 2023: There is no parking at the Booth Lake Trailhead or anywhere in the surrounding neighborhood, violators will be ticketed and/or towed. Pick-up and drop-off from passenger vehicles will be allowed at the trailhead starting June 1. All shuttles must drop-off at the bottom of Booth Falls Rd., where designated, adjacent to the Booth Falls bus stop.
Visitors to the Gore/Deluge trailhead will see designated parking spaces and delineated no parking areas to address conflicts between vehicles and bicyclists on Vail Pass.

Park for Free, Then Take a Bus to Vail Trails

Help us protect the Vail trails we all love and consider taking the free bus to the trailhead of your next hiking or biking adventure. Parking spaces are limited at many Vail trailheads, and the bus system from Vail, Lionshead, East Vail...

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Always fully extinguish camp fires.

A Smithsonian study found that 84 percent of all wildfires are caused by humans. Take care to douse anything, even a cigarette butt, that can cause a major forest blaze. And especially in dry seasons, check and abide by local regulations for fire bans.

Principle 5: Minimize Campfire Impacts

If you have come to the Vail area and plan on camping, there are some critical things you should know to ensure your safety and the safety of the surrounding wilderness.

First, think about the necessity of a campfire versus a stov...

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Always pick up your pet waste.

Otherwise, it washes into our streams, harming wildlife and polluting our water

Principle 3: Dispose of Waste Properly

Proper disposal of waste, regardless of where you are and what it is, is important to avoid pollution of water sources, negative implications of someone else finding it, and the possibility of spreading disease.  “Pack it in, Pack it ...

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