The High Line Canal has always been more than a trail. For more than a century, it has connected neighborhoods across 71 miles, bringing together people of all ages who walk, run, ride, stroll, and learn along its banks. It carries a legacy of our region’s history while shaping a shared future, reminding us that lasting progress happens when communities move forward together.
In 2025, that spirit of connection translated into action: nearly 1,000 volunteers cared for the Canal, a comprehensive natural resource management plan was completed with our partners, $1 million was invested in natural resource restoration and capital improvement projects advanced.
Thanks to your steadfast support and visionary leadership from the Conservancy’s founding CEO, Harriet Crittenden LaMair, and that of long-time board members like Dirk McDermott, we stand on a strong foundation. With clear direction and renewed energy, we are stepping confidently into the Canal’s next chapter.
We invite you to watch the feature video below. It brings our mission to life and shares the stories from the people’s communities that make this work possible.
Thank you for walking alongside us. The sustained vitality of the High Line Canal depends on all of us, and I am so grateful to be on this journey with you.
With gratitude,
Suzanna Fry Jones, CEO
Paula Hermark, 2025 Board Chair
Suzanna Fry Jones
Paula Herzmark
“As a longtime board member and the new Board Chair, I’m proud to build on the strong momentum established by the Conservancy’s past leaders, including Paula and Harriet, to advance an even more impactful future for our region. In close partnership with Arapahoe County and Denver Water, I’m excited to continue this work together, ensuring the Canal remains a vibrant, connected and resilient corridor for generations to come.”
Steven Coffin, 2026 Board Chair
Walking the High Line Canal is great for both physical and mental health! It is a unique way to experience the City's diverse neighborhoods, all while fostering a deeper connection to the environment.
Caring for the Canal is a team effort. Nearly 1,000 annual High Line Heroes joined organized events and participated in Independent Cleanups, stewarding 134 cumulative miles of the Canal.
Events such as birding walks, roll-and-strolls, and more celebrate the uniqueness of the Canal. In 2025, we hosted 39 recreation events with over 1,200 attendees thanks to your support.
The Canal offers exceptional opportunities for outdoor education for trail users of all ages. In 2025, the Conservancy hosted a number of unique education events, including a crawdad catching event and a history walk for seniors.
At Summer Scamper there are so many different aged people from newborns to who knows! Everyone there is really encouraging to each other.
In 2025, the Conservancy hosted the third annual Summer Scamper, 5K for All, presented by Arapahoe County, welcoming nearly 700 High Line Heroes to Bible Park. The event fosters an engaged community, healthy lifestyles and greater appreciation for the Canal.
The Summer Fest before and after the 5K was full of energy and we loved seeing so many participating in yoga from Living Yoga, enjoying good food and celebrating with beers from Comrade Brewing.
70
1-88
The fourth annual Aurora Unity Walk & Roll brought the community together to celebrate the many reasons people walk along the High Line Canal. This event invites participants to reflect on what inspires them, from supporting youth and protecting the environment to advancing causes close to home.
The second annual Green Valley Ranch Fall Fest was a smashing success. Organized by the Northeast Advisory Committee, this event brought together over 800 High Line Heroes for a day of snacks, crafts and time on the Canal.
In 2025, Conservancy board members, Debi Holen Hunter and Leslie Brown, invited the community to walk all 71-miles of the Canal with them in 2-4 mile segments. About 100 people joined the walks and 12 became High Liners!
What a lovely evening celebrating community, nature and the trail we all treasure at Dine for the High Line. I’m grateful to be part of a community that shows up to protect and care for this incredible regional asset.
In 2025 the Conservancy hosted the fifth Dine for the High Line community gala, presented by Sterling Ranch and Dominion Water & Sanitation District. The program celebrated 2025 High Line Hero and Nina B. Itin Volunteer Impact awardees.
It was a beautiful event filled with laughter, cheer and partnership. Thank you to our sponsors, event host committee, vendors and volunteers who made this event possible. We could not have done it without you.
We also got to hear directly from our presenting sponsor about their motivation for joining us in this important work. To learn more about Sterling Ranch and Dominion Water & Sanitation District’s inspiration for supporting our efforts, watch the video below.
In 2025 at Dine for the High Line, we celebrated the outstanding leadership of our Great Lengths for the High Line Co-Chairs—Dirk and Carol McDermott, Paula Herzmark, and Margie and Tom Gart. Their dedication led to the successful Great Lengths for the High Line campaign, the Conservancy’s first capital campaign. The $33M raised will be matched with public funds, resulting in over $100M in trail investments over five years. These capital projects focus on increasing access, improving safety, restoring natural resources and adding gathering places and shade structures.
Thank you, Dirk, Carol, Paula, Margie, and Tom, for making this possible – you are High Line Heroes!
Leaders in building a community focused on connection, health and empowerment
$1M INVESTED IN NATURAL RESOURCE RESTORATION
3,535 VOLUNTEER HOURS
1,289 YOUTH ENGAGED
34 BENCHES INSTALLED
681 CUBIC YARDS OF BRUSH REMOVED
11,827 POUNDS OF TRASH REMOVED
Our partnership with the Conservancy is invaluable as we take on stewardship of 45 miles of the High Line Canal. This corridor is vital to our community, and together we’re committed to preserving it for generations.
The High Line Canal is experiencing a significant ecological transformation as Denver Water decreases its use of the Canal for irrigation delivery and local jurisdictions implement stormwater management strategies within the corridor. Over the past 18 months, Canal Collaborative partners have worked collectively to develop the first-ever, comprehensive Canal-wide Natural Resource Management Plan. This plan documents current conditions, establishes improved maintenance protocols, and identifies key opportunities for ecological revitalization along the Canal.
This plan will serve as a roadmap for future collaborative management responsibilities while supporting enhancement initiatives such as tree and native species plantings, supplemental watering, and habitat restoration throughout the Canal corridor.
The Canal Collaborative is the formal collaboration between 15 regional partners to preserve and enhance the Canal. The Conservancy serves as the backbone organization providing facilitation, communications and coordination of the partners to enhance collaboration and advance implementation of The Plan for the High Line Canal.
100 TREES PLANTED
1 NEW UNDERPASS BUILT
6 CANAL PROJECTS COMPLETED
Thanks to support from partners and High Line Heroes like you, the Conservancy has been diligently working to realize Great Lengths for the High Line capital projects by incorporating community feedback, overseeing project management and advancing thoughtful design. 2025 was dedicated to planning and public engagement, laying the groundwork for construction to commence on several projects in 2026.
Through Great Lengths funding, a Stewardship Fund was established with a dedicated upfront spend of $2 million to address important habitat, ecological and safety needs along the Canal.
The projects below are a small snippet of the work being done by the Canal Collaborative partners. You can see all the projects happening along the Canal in the Spring Progress report.
Thank you for helping to make these projects possible!
After completing the Great Lengths Campaign in 2024 thanks to supporters like you, we got to work caring for the Canal. The most immediate part of this was investing in up front maintenance from, spending just over $1 million in 2025, a nearly $2 million overall. This included:
Douglas County and the Conservancy are partnering to design enhancements to the High Line Canal Origin Trailhead, located along Waterton Rd near the start of the Canal. Designs are currently at 90% and include improvements to the trailhead and connection to the Canal trail as well as two overlooks with interpretive signage to share the story of the Canal’s origins. This trailhead is intended to be an interpretive hub, educating trail users about the Canal’s unique history and connection to water in the West. Designs will be completed in 2026
Location: Waterton Rd and the High Line Canal, where the Canal emerges from Waterton Canyon
Status: Construction anticipated in 2026-2027
Funding: Design has been funded jointly by the Conservancy and Douglas County. Construction is funded by Douglas County and the Conservancy
SSPRD and the Conservancy partnered on the design of amenities and safety improvements at the juncture of the High Line Canal Trail and Lee Gulch Trail in Littleton. These amenities have created a pause place near the historic Lee Gulch flume, one of three wooden flumes remaining on the Canal. Site improvements include seating and interpretation along with select natural play elements, and trees. Site improvements are complete and trees have been planted.
Location: Littleton at the juncture of the High Line Canal Trail and Lee Gulch Trail
Status: Educational sign installation in Spring 2026
Funding Partners: The project was funded by SSPRD, the Conservancy and Arapahoe County Open Spaces
The Conservancy, City and County of Denver and Arapahoe County Open Spaces designed an enhanced trail surface for the Canal that includes a 12’ concrete trail with a 6’ gravel side path. This trail profile was developed for the reaches of the Canal in southeast and east Denver as well as unincorporated Arapahoe County. Arapahoe County and The City and County of Denver are now advancing the design and engineering of the segments of the Canal from Quebec Street to Parker Road. A first phase of construction in this segment could begin in 2026.
Location: High Line Canal from Quebec Street to Havana Road
Status: Designs are currently at 60% and construction of the first phase is anticipated to begin in 2026
Funding: The project is funded by Arapahoe County, the City and County of Denver and the Conservancy through the GOCO Centennial Grant Program
The Conservancy is partnering closely with central Aurora neighbors and Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces to design a Canal Improvement Zone between E. Alameda Ave and Potomac St. Through a series of three public surveys, the community was asked to weigh in on areas in need of improvement and refine design concepts to prioritize improvements for this section of the trail. The current designs include a seating area with interpretive signage north of Alameda Ave., crossing safety improvements at Moline Street and accessible access points at E. 2nd Ave and Ursala St. Designs will be completed in 2026.
Location: High Line Canal between E. Alameda Ave. and Potomac St.
Status: Construction anticipated in 2026-2027
Funding: The Conservancy secured funding through the GOCO Centennial Grant Program
The Conservancy is partnering closely with neighbors and Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces along the Colfax corridor to design access, activation and amenity improvements. The current designs include an overlook at Granby Ditch, an outdoor classroom by Laredo Elementary School, an overlook at the Canal’s juncture with Star K Ranch and two accessible access points to the Canal. These community-centered designs will be completed in 2026.
Location: High Line Canal between E. 6th Ave. and E. 17th Ave
Status: Construction anticipated in 2026-2027
Funding: The Conservancy has secured funding through the GOCO Centennial program and an Adams County Open Space Grant and Aurora has secured funding through Arapahoe County Open Spaces
The first phase of the Triple Creek Trailhead was completed in 2019, establishing a connection between the High Line Canal Trail and Triple Creek trail system. With funding from the GOCO Centennial grant program, the Conservancy is partnering with the City of Aurora to complete the second phase of the 2016 master plan, implementing a bike skills course, a shade structure, soft-surface pathways, and interpretive signage at the trailhead. Public Art will also be installed through the City of Aurora Library and Cultural Services department.
Location: Triple Creek Trailhead, at the juncture of the High Line Canal Trail and Sand Creek Regional Greenway
Status: Construction anticipated in 2026-2027
Funding: The Conservancy has secured funding through the GOCO Centennial program and Aurora has secured funding through Arapahoe County Open Spaces
The Conservancy is partnering closely with Green Valley Ranch neighbors and Denver Parks and Recreation to design activation and amenity improvements. The current designs include an outdoor classroom with a shade structure, irrigated tree planting, two bike skills courses and a series of fitness stations. These community-centered designs will be completed in 2026.
Location: High Line Canal in Green Valley Ranch
Status: Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026
Funding: The Conservancy has secured funding through the GOCO Centennial program
While funding for the Great Lengths Campaign was secured in 2024, we received $2.5M in 2025 from reimbursement grants and matching funds for capital projects and long-term Canal stewardship. Donations of $2.7M were added to the Stewardship Fund which had a balance of $11.1M at year end. The Conservation Easement Fund was established to ensure protection of the easement held by the Conservancy in perpetuity. The Fund’s balance was $300K at year end. The Conservancy saw revenue growth in special events by 57% and significant support from jurisdictional partners for natural resource management planning. Expenses were $6.6m with 66% allocated to Great Lengths Campaign projects and upfront stewardship expenses.
The Conservancy received a clean audit report from independent accounting firm, Brock and Company, CPAs P.C.
Revenue – $6,105,932
Expenses – $6,588,513
Cash & Cash Equivalents
Investments*
Pledges Receivable
Other Assets
$3,100,759
$11,308,955
$2,212,293
$53,971
Total Assets
$16,675,978
Accounts Payable & Accrued Benefits
Refundable Advances
Net Assets With Donor Restrictions
Net Assets Without Donor Restrictions
$158,433
$177,499
$14,051,673
$2,288,373
Total Liabilities & Net Assets
$16,675,978
*Stewardship and Conservation Easement Funds
Thank you for making this work possible!
Thank you, Founding Partners! These visionary, philanthropic leaders, families, neighbors, and friends symbolically adopted one of the Canal’s 71 miles to help the Conservancy raise $1.78 million of catalytic funds. The High Line Canal Conservancy Board of Directors, development committee, and staff recognize the Founding Partners for their leadership and commitment.
$20,000+
$10,000 – 19,999
$5,000 – 9,999
$2,500 – 4,999
$1,000 – 2,499
$500 – 999
$250 – 499
$125 – 249
$35 – 124
Thank you to our donors!
*elected official