DENVER — The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded the City of Monte Vista, in partnership with San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!), a $125,000 planning grant supporting five recreational infrastructure projects in the San Luis Valley (SLV). The projects aim to increase community access to outdoor recreation while benefiting the local economy.  

The grant is part of GOCO’s Planning and Capacity program, which invests in projects that address opportunities, explore issues, engage communities, and examine outdoor trends.  

Funding will support SLV GO!'s community trails coordinator, who leads planning efforts, coordinates with stakeholders, and helps secure additional financial resources for planned recreation projects.  

Planned projects include:  

• Heart of the Valley Trail – Envisioned as a ‘rail-with-trail’ along the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad corridor, the trail will stretch from Fort Garland to South Fork with another extension from Alamosa to Antonito. 
• Lariat Ditch Trail – Located in Monte Vista, the trail will serve as a vital east-west connection through the city and the first official segment of the Heart of the Valley Trail. 
• The Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) – An action plan advancing recreation infrastructure to strengthen Monte Vista’s economic resilience, which includes the Heart of the Valley Trail and strategies to increase Rio Grande River access. 
• Closed Basin Canal Trail – Partners are exploring potential recreation opportunities along this 42-mile canal, which connects to various public lands such as the Alamosa Wildlife Refuge, San Luis State Wildlife Area, and Great Sand Dunes National Park. 
• Vista Grande Recreation Area – This project aims to turn a 220-acre property into a community park in Saguache. 

In addition to enhancing recreation access and economic outcomes for SLV residents, partners aim to create a replicable model for future recreation and conservation efforts in rural communities.  

“The City of Monte Vista and SLV GO!’s partnership began with a collaborative trail project with Colorado Parks and Wildlife,” said Monte Vista City Manager Gigi Dennis. “Since then, we’ve continued to grow in collaboration through the RERC and other efforts. With GOCO’s support of our community trails coordinator, we look forward to making important progress on these critical projects enhancing recreation opportunities in the SLV.” 

Along with the GOCO grant, SLV GO! has raised funding from the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, the Town of Saguache, Colorado State University, and the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program.