Longmont Youth Center Students Learn about the Beauty and History of Lincoln Hills While Gaining New Outdoor Skills on their Overnight
Written by Caroline Paul, CI Instructor and Logistics Coordinator. Middle school students from Longmont Youth Center got to explore the beauty of nature in the high alpine area of Black Hawk, Colorado.
The adventure started with setting up camp at Camp Always Choose Adventures (ACA). This was Cottonwood’s first time visiting Chantelle and Camp ACA, and wow, were we impressed! The site is completely off-grid and thoughtfully designed to be accessible to all students, including those with physical disabilities. Students fed the goats and even got to stand on top of an old mine and look down into it!
Once the tents were set up, the group headed out to explore. Wildflowers were abundant, giving students the perfect opportunity to learn about pollinators and the different flowers they are drawn to. Do butterflies and hummingbirds like the same types of flowers? LYC kids can tell you the answer!
Spoiler: They don’t!
Butterflies prefer yellow and orange flowers that are flat and easy to land on, while hummingbirds are drawn to red and purple flowers that are deep and “fluted.” After frolicking through the flowers, instructors found the perfect spot to teach one of Cottonwood’s favorite pastimes: Camouflage. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing in hammocks and cooking dinner together.
The next morning, students woke up early and packed up camp before heading to the famous Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club. Lincoln Hills instructors taught students the basics of archery and fly fishing—and one student even caught a fish!
After lunch, students went on a hike through the historic property, learning about the important history of Lincoln Hills along the way. When the property was first purchased in the 1920s and 1930s, it served as a safe haven for Black and Brown travelers who needed a welcoming place to stay while traveling through the area. Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan were active in neighboring communities such as Wondervu and Rollinsville, making Lincoln Hills an important refuge.
Into the 1960s, Lincoln Hills remained one of the few places where African Americans could safely enjoy the outdoors. Today, the property is an invitation-only club and works with the Denver nonprofit Lincoln Hills Cares to provide outdoor education opportunities to underserved communities.
At the top of the hill, beyond the historic buildings, students took a moment to pause and reflect during a sit spot. As they returned to the vans, they were surprised to discover that each student had been gifted their very own fishing pole!
Thank you, Lincoln Hills! What an incredible way to end the trip!
Thanks to Great Outdoors Colorado, Thorne Nature Experience, and the Walton Family Foundation for helping to fund this incredible program! If you are inspired and want to help support programs like this Longmont Youth adventure, Donate Today!
