Independent Cleanups

An easy way to care for the Canal on your own schedule

The Conservancy’s Independent Cleanup program is a unique opportunity to join the Canal Conservation Corps and steward the Canal in your preferred location and on your own schedule. Become an active participant in enhancing the ecological health of the 71-mile High Line Canal and make a lasting and positive impact on this historic corridor!

Our goal: 100 miles cleaned in 2026 for a cleaner, healthier and more enjoyable Canal!

  1. Review the Independent Cleanup Toolkit in English or Spanish and FAQs and see if this volunteer opportunity is right for you!
  2. Choose a preferred date and location. Conservancy staff will review all requests and may suggest alternative dates or locations.
  3. Sign up on Volunteer Hub at least one month before your cleanup date
  4. Wait for location and date approval from our staff
  5. Ask all participants to sign a Volunteer Waiver. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian signature. If you register as a group, the person who registered the group is responsible for ensuring that everyone in the group signs a waiver.
    • Waivers can be submitted in multiple ways:
      • Through Volunteer Hub when you register
      • Online via Smartwaiver: Volunteer Waiver
      • Paper waivers. You can pick up paper waivers to have volunteer sign when you pick up other cleanup supplies.
  6. Pick up supplies from our office. We can provide trash bags, gloves, trash grabbers, and a scale
  7. Review Safety Procedures in the Toolkit
  8. Clean up the Canal!
    • On the day of your cleanup, please ensure that you and any other participants joining have reviewed the safety information and instructions. Always be mindful of your surroundings and other Canal users throughout your cleanup. Ensure all trash is bagged, secured, and properly disposed of. Trash can be disposed of at any on-site trash can found along the Canal or placed in an on-site park dumpster. Participants are responsible for properly disposing of the trash collected during their independent cleanup. Trash bags are not to be left on the trail. Weigh your trash bags with the provided scale and make note of your cleanup accomplishments including the amount of trash collected, distance cleaned, and number of volunteers.
  9. Submit your cleanup results
    • After your cleanup, please return to Volunteer Hub to share information about your event.
  10. Return your supplies to our office
Sign Up!
Sign Up!
Read the Toolkit

Safety Procedures

  • Prior to your cleanup, make sure you and any other participants have submitted Volunteer Waivers.
  • Wear appropriate clothing such as sturdy, closed-toed shoes and long pants.
  • Always wear gloves. You can wear your own gloves such as gardening or work gloves. We can also provide gloves for volunteers.
  • Bring any additional essentials you may need such as sunscreen, personal medication, water and snacks.
  • Do not touch needles, syringes, weapons or ammunition, mattresses, couches, rugs, bedding of any kind, chemical waste, motor oil, or other hazardous items. If you come across any hazardous materials please take a picture, note your location on the Canal, and notify the Conservancy.
  • Stay with your group. The Conservancy can only support cleanups with a minimum of 5 volunteers. Please stay together during your cleanup.
  • Do not touch dead or injured animals.
  • Do not approach, disturb, or remove items from homeless encampments, regardless of their level of activity. Please notify the Conservancy if you see a camp in the Canal.
  • Participants are highly encouraged to always have a cell phone on hand in case of emergencies. Dial 911 in case of an emergency.
  • Please report any injuries to the Conservancy.

Independent Cleanups Supported By:

SPLASH is a stormwater collaborative group of local governments and Arapahoe County. Thank you, SPLASH!

FAQs

No, the Independent Cleanup program allows you to organize a cleanup that fits into your schedule and perform that cleanup independently with resources provided by the Conservancy. If you would like a Conservancy representative to join your cleanup to share info about the Canal and Conservancy or support volunteers during the event, please reach out to us at volunteer@highlinecanal.org

We can provide trash bags, work gloves, trash grabbers, buckets, and a scale.

You are responsible for properly disposing of any trash collected during your cleanup. Full trash bags can be disposed of at any on-site trash can (please ensure it is not over-flowing) or nearby park dumpster. Do not leave trash bags on the trail!

Maybe. This is situational depending on who is requesting service hours. We cannot provide court-ordered service hours for Independent Cleanups. Regis Jesuit High School students are not permitted to get service hours at Independent Cleanups (per the school’s rule) but are welcome to join our hosted group cleanups for hours.

No, each person only needs to sign one Volunteer Waiver per calendar year.

If you have any questions regarding the Independent Cleanup program, please contact volunteer@highlinecanal.org.

Thank you to our 2025 Canal Stewards

  • Achieve Leads
  • American Public Works Association
  • Anschutz
  • Aprio
  • Boys Team Charity
  • Charter/Spectrum
  • Comcast
  • Community College of Aurora
  • Craig Hospital
  • Cub Scout Pack 351 & 345
  • Denver Public Schools SPARK program
  • Denver SE Rotary Club
  • Girl Scout Troop 66360
  • Kent Denver School
  • Kimley-Horn
  • Littleton Leadership Academy
  • Materials+
  • National Charity League
  • National Conference of State Legislatures
  • Project Our Town
  • Ranch View Middle School
  • Regis Jesuit High School
  • Rocket Software
  • Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association
  • Timebank Boulder
  • University Hills Neighborhood Association