The IPWA Summer Patrol season typically starts the first Sunday in June, and ends September 30th. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!

The IPWA holds an Annual Photo Contest to showcase the beauty of the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness Areas. This contest is open to IPWA supporters and volunteers. Each individual may submit a maximum of 2 scenic photos (no people or dogs may be in the photos).  Submissions are due October 31st! Visit the Photo Contest page for more information. 

You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group and join us for a meet-up in Boulder, Colorado! The November selection is The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan. This group is open to all (IPWA and the public). See our blog posts about previous reading selections. The upcoming meet-up will be on November 13th, 2025, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  - RSVP here

The IPWA Winter Patrol Program starts in mid-November and ends in early June. This is an exciting opportunity for our Summer Wilderness Volunteers who want to enjoy the wilderness and patrol in the late fall, winter, and spring months. For more information visit the Winter Patrol Program page. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!

We offer two types of volunteer opportunities:

1. IPWA Wilderness Volunteers commit to completing annual training, are outfitted with a uniform, and commit to completing a minimum of “four service activities” per calendar year.

2. If you do not have time to volunteer for a full season/year, you may join us for one or more volunteer trail projects this summer!

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If you're interested in volunteering, please email us at hikers@indianpeakswilderness.org to be added to our email list. Please indicate if you are interested in trail projects and/or in applying to become a full Wilderness Volunteer, starting next season (summer 2026). ​

To learn more, visit our Wilderness Volunteer Program page. To learn more about other ways to help, visit the Volunteer Opportunities page. 

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The IPWA is proud to offer four Paddon/Gellhorn Wilderness Grants, each up to $2,000. The Paddon/Gellhorn Wilderness Research Grants support graduate students pursuing Master’s or Ph.D. degrees, as well as undergraduate students, at recognized Colorado-based institutions conducting research on Colorado's mountain ecoregions - alpine, subalpine, and montane - and their constituent ecosystems. Projects should aim to advance the understanding, conservation, or management of these systems by investigating biotic interactions (e.g., flora an fauna dynamics) and/or abiotic factors (e.g., climate, hydrology, geology) that influence these ecoregions and their ecosystems. While priority is given to graduate and postgraduate research, outstanding undergraduate projects demonstrating similar scientific rigor and relevance will also be considered. 

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Applications must be submitted by March 30, 2026, and award announcements will be made by mid-April. Visit the Research Grants page for details and application instructions. 

Volunteers and prospective volunteers, pencil in the first Saturday in June for the in-person training day (mandatory for new volunteers). To learn more, visit our Volunteer Opportunities page. 

IPWA Wilderness Volunteers are eligible to go on summer patrols as long as they have completed all annual paperwork and training requirements. Training will be held on Saturday, June 7th. The IPWA Summer Patrol season typically starts the first Sunday in June, and ends September 30th. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!