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OUR HISTORY
Colorado Treks was formed in 2016 by Dominic Lucero, an educator in North Denver, to provide his students without the economic means, experience, or role model that looked like them, access to the outdoors and recreation of Colorado. That summer, Dominic took six students on the first Flat Tops Horseback Trek to experience the ‘medicine of the mountains’ and provide the cultural healing they did not historically have access to.
Since 2016, the organization has served over 1000 youth, 95% of whom identify as a person of color, through its partnerships with Denver Public Schools and nearby Charter networks.
Beginning in 2025, we launched a community/whole family program, designed to serve adults and community members, who often don't get to receive the same healing that our youth get to experience. In September 2025, we took a group of adults to the Flat Tops Wilderness - including two of original participants from 2016.
2016 Inaugural Youth Flat Tops Wilderness Trek participants
2025 Inaugural Adult Flat Tops Wilderness Trek
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Board of Directors
Interested in joining our board? Find more information HERE
JESSICA KING
Colorado Parks & Wildlife
BOARD PRESIDENT
EDWINA LUCERO
BOARD TREASURER
ALIA GANT
Data Analyst
BOARD SECRETARY
ADD YOUR NAME!!
We are seeking new board members!
OUR FOUNDER &
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dominic Lucero was born and raised in the Northside of Denver. He founded Colorado Treks in 2016 to serve North Side Denver youth, families, and communities, and now has expanded throughout the Denver Metro Area breaking down barriers for others to access the medicine of the mountains. His work is his purpose, not just a position, and it brings him true joy and happiness to bring the sense of belonging and community to others while experiencing the healing of the medicine of the mountains through life-changing transformations in community. Dominic is an avid angler, rock climber, hunter, and lover of all things outdoors. He is proud of his Chicano culture, and humbled to teach other the ways of our ancestors, in community.
DOMINIC LUCERO
Our Staff
EDWINA LUCERO
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & CURRICULUM SPECIALIST
Edwina was a self-proclaimed anti-outdoorswoman until she saw the magic that the medicine of the mountains can do for communities and families with Colorado Treks. She is a an educator, and spent most of her 20-year teaching career in Denver Public Schools, working to increase equity and access to arts education, most recently as Instructional Curriculum Specialist for Music. She created our I am Nature School Curriculum, and continues to lend her expertise to our school program.
MARIEL TILLEY
PROGRAM MANAGER
Mariel is a Texas native who moved to Colorado after graduating college. With a deep passion for community, equal access, and the outdoors, she is excited to support the organization’s mission of connecting people with nature in meaningful and inclusive ways. You can find her on our treks snapping photos of participants and view her work on the gallery page of our website.
YUZO NIETO
PROGRAM LEADER & DEVELOPMENT
Yuzo Nieto has spent his career serving the Denver community as both a school founder/leader, educator, musician/artist and community activist. He earned his Masters in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado (CU) & Doctorate in Music Education with a focus in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado (UNCO). His dissertation research focuses on implementing Culturally Sustaining, Community Responsive pedagogical frameworks within Music Education. From there, Yuzo went on to lead and launch Radical Arts Academy Denver (RAAD) as Co-Founding Executive Artistic Director and Responsive Arts & STEAM Academy (RASA) in Denver Public Schools as Co-Founding Principal. He is excited to bring his extensive experience & expertise to the Colorado Treks team!
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