by Jeanette Reynolds, FoGC Board Member and Trail Crew Volunteer

Let me start by stating very clearly that I am not a morning person. While I genuinely appreciate waking up early and taking full advantage of the day, I have no intention of being anywhere and interacting with anyone before 9 a.m. So, believe me when I say that showing up by 7:30 a.m. (6:30 a.m. in the summer) to clear trails at Government Canyon State Natural Area is one of THE VERY BEST ways to spend a Saturday morning, in my opinion. 

What makes waking up early on the weekend to help clean-up some of the nearly 40 miles of trails in one of the nation’s largest urban preserves so awesome? Everything! The answer is everything! 

Let me start at the beginning by touching on just some of the admiration I have for Government Canyon State Natural Area, or GCSNA. When I moved to San Antonio five years ago, one of the very first places I ventured to explore in my new city was GCSNA. I love the backcountry trails – the rugged ones that lead you through forested limestone hills across the Balcones Escarpment, an area of deeply entrenched canyons that define the east boundary of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion. (Shout out to all the geology nerds reading this!) While its collection of dinosaur footprints may be how GCSNA is known to most, the easy access to nature is what has played an important role for me in making San Antonio home.

I began to reflect on how I could show my appreciation for the trails that bring me so much peace, delight, and overall wellness. I reached out to John Koepke, the GCSNA staff responsible for Interpreter/Volunteers/Trails/Special Projects, about joining Trail Crew. Like a lot of people these days, I spend a significant portion of my workday inside and inactive at a computer; so the prospect of enjoying the outdoors and getting some serious exercise while making a positive contribution is a no-brainer. There are also multiple other ways to lend your time and talents to supporting the mission of GCSNA, including joining Trail Patrol, leading programming like guided hikes as part of the Activities Committee, or joining the Friends of Government Canyon as a member by making a donation. 

Once you’ve shared your interest in volunteering with Trail Crew, John adds you to his roster. Every quarter, John will reach out to everyone on his roster with a list of upcoming volunteer dates and a request for response with those dates in which you’re interested. Trail Crew volunteering almost always happens Saturday mornings and ends at 12 p.m. Knowing that “life happens,” John will check in via email a week in advance of each Trail Crew Saturday to confirm if you are “IN or OUT.” If you’re “IN,” expect an email by Friday confirming all the details you need to feel ready to participate. This includes arrival location and time, recommended pack list like snacks and water, what to wear (sturdy trousers, closed toe shoes, long sleeves if you’re smart, garden or work gloves, and a hat), and an overview of what to expect. If the weather is unpredictable, John will remind you to look out for an email at 6 a.m. on the morning of your volunteer Saturday, cancelling the trail Crew work.  

You arrive in the morning to the maintenance shed, which is close by the visitor center where the bathrooms are open and waiting for your “last call” morning pee (you know who you are). If you’re like me, by the time you arrive there is already a circle of folks chatting and getting to know each other. This is one of the aspects of the experience I look forward to – meeting new people. The opportunity attracts a variety of individuals and groups representing diverse backgrounds and interest, but with that shared thing in common – showing up at a maintenance shed on the outskirts of town, a little too early for normal people. Just kidding! …I mean showing up at a maintenance shed on the outskirts of town, demonstrating the type of dedication and character you want in a new friend – a new friend who may be wielding a sharp object near your head for the next couple of hours. 

Once everyone is signed-in at the shed (as a volunteer you receive free entry to the State Natural Area for the day), you receive a short briefing and are assigned to a small group led by either GCSNA staff or experienced volunteer leaders. Sometimes all of the small groups work in teams on one specific trail and sometimes they are spread out on a couple of different trails, depending on the need and number of volunteers. 

Then everyone splits up for what may be my favorite part of volunteering with Trail Crew: The ride into the backcountry! Although, in full disclosure, sometimes you’re working in the frontcountry, and while I’m sure that’s fun too – who doesn’t get a thrill from an off-road adventure through a canyon? You’ll ride in a pickup truck or utility vehicle (UTV) to a point as close as possible to where the Trail Crew work will start that morning. Before anyone arrives to volunteer as a part of the Trail Crew, hours of work have gone into identifying areas that need maintenance, and marking larger trees that need to be trimmed.

The purpose of the Trail Crew is to make sure trails are safe for users and passable for an emergency UTV, like a Mule or Gator. The work to clear and widen the trails also helps users follow the intended path. When trails are overgrown, and especially after storms that may wash debris across trails, it can be easy to lose track of the designated path and end up lost. 

The volunteer leader or staff will direct your small team in its work. Only certified staff operate the chainsaws, while staff and trained volunteers may help with weed eaters. As a volunteer Trail Crew member, you will be carrying the cut brush out of sight from the trail and, at times, using hand tools including garden loppers and handsaws to trim small branches and brush. 

Once a certain stopping time is reached or the designated area for work that day has been cleaned and clear, volunteers and staff head back to the maintenance shed to sign-out. …There may or may not be famous baked goodies waiting for you, care of a certain super volunteer. Regardless of whether you indulge, you’ve burned some crazy calories, so it’s best to map out your lunch plan in advance. 

Here are my insider tips for making the best of your volunteer Trail Crew experience:

·       Wear your hydration backpack (ex. CamelBak), if you have one. You won’t want to keep track of a bigger bag or water bottle while you cover what might be miles of trail while you’re clearing debris. You have a better chance of staying hydrated if you can quickly and easily take a swig out of your hydration backpack.

·       Pack earplugs. While you won’t be operating the machinery, you’ll still be nearby. 

·       No need to worry about snakes or other critters, fortunately/unfortunately the Trail Crew will be making way too much noise for any wildlife sightings. But… what a great incentive for coming back to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

·       Keep a towel or quick change of clothes in your car for after you volunteer. You’ll probably be pretty dirty (and sweaty), and won’t want to get all that hard-earned mess all over your seats.

·       Don’t forget to hydrate and stretch when you get home! When’s the last time you cleared brush for a few hours?

·       When you commit to volunteering, add it to your calendar. Just like a budget or grocery list keeps us on track for our goals, adding volunteering to your calendar is a great way to hold yourself accountable to making the time to give back.

I love being active and spending time outside, and care deeply about the GCSNA stewardship and education mission, so volunteering with Trail Crew is a prefect fit for me. What it has also provided me with is a path to community. I have met many wonderful people, some who are visiting GCSNA for the first time as volunteers and others who have been involved with the State Natural Area before it was part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife system. The GCSNA community continues to expand as more and more people discover it and experience the feeling one gets from being out in nature.  

It is easy to take the next step and involved at GCSNA. You can read more about other volunteer opportunities and sign up at here or email John Koepke at john.koepke@tpwd.texas.gov.