More than 70 volunteers from all walks of life helped build more than one mile of new trail on National Public Lands Day on Saturday just north of New Castle.

After the successful work day, tired and dusty volunteers were treated to dinner and prizes and voted on a new name for the trail. The group chose the Colorow Trail as the moniker for the new route that climbs to an overlook of the area.

The trail is named to recognize the history of the Ute Indian tribe in the area. Colorow was a Ute chief who befriended Jasper Ward, the founder of the town of New Castle.

A small group of trail-building volunteers returned on Sunday morning to complete the trail’s spur leg to an overlook at 6,615 feet. Although awaiting signage, the western leg of the eventual loop trail is now open to the public starting from Lariat Loop in the northwest corner of Castle Valley Ranch.

Organizers say the Saturday trails day was a big success due to the cooperative efforts of volunteers, homeowners, local business donors, New Castle Lions Club who provided dinner, the town of New Castle, the Bureau of Land Management and Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers.

“To see the community come out in these numbers to help build this new trail was very gratifying. This was one of RFOV’s best projects ever because of the turnout and the work accomplished,” noted David Hamilton, RFOV executive director.

Any volunteers interested in continuing work on the trail system north of New Castle can sign up to help Oct. 4 by contacting RFOV at 877-662-5220, 927-8241 or rfov@sopris.net. Volunteers will put some finishing touches on the open trail and will begin work on the eastern leg. The overall trail is planned as a 3-mile loop through BLM land. Other group work days will be planned for 2004.

RFOV (www.rfov.org) is a nonprofit organization promoting volunteer stewardship of public lands by completing trail work and conservation projects.