Richard Trotter
Visitor Information Specialist / Rio Grande National Forest, Saguache office
Richard grew up in Southern Colorado and spent his summers in the mountains of the San Isabel National Forest. While serving as an aviator in the Air Force Reserves, he graduated from Colorado State University – Pueblo in 1993 where he earned a degree in history with a minor in geology. His area of emphasis is the history of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico, primarily the Santa Fe and Spanish Trails which at one time crossed through areas on the Rio Grande National Forest. This, tied in with his experience in geology, make the San Luis Valley a fascinating place to study land use from pre-historic to modern times. By sharing stories of the past, we can see how to preserve the landscape for generations to come.
On any given weekend you may see Richard cruising the backroads and four wheel drive trails of the Saguache District in his old red Jeep Wagoneer. If you come across him while you’re exploring, feel free to stop and have a chat. He might share a story or two and as he likes to say, “If I haven’t done it, I know some ol’ boy or girl who has.”
