A group in Southern Colorado is working to restore a historic trail and waterfall near Manitou Springs. It will take several years to clean up what is now known as ‘Graffiti Falls,’ and turn it back into Rainbow Falls.

The group is called Manitou Environmental Citizens Action, MECA. It said the graffiti at Rainbow Falls, just off of Highway 24, is just a small part of their major cleanup efforts.

"Historically, this was a recreation destination and we want to re-create that," said L’Aura Montgomery, the co-founder of MECA. Over the years, taggers have made claim to Rainbow Falls. "It makes me angry,” Montgomery said. “More than that, [the vandalism] makes me sad."

MECA has been working for years to bring attention to the major problems along this section of the Ute Pass Trail. Montgomery tells 11 News the graffiti cleanup is just the beginning. "We have to deal with the erosion issues, we have to deal with the trail degradation," she said.

Between removing the graffiti and restoring the trails, estimates for the project come in around five million dollars.

"If you overlook all the graffiti and the trash, it's still beautiful," said Montgomery.

The hope is that after a couple of years, people won't have to overlook the empty spray cans and trash to see this natural beauty. Now that the county owns the land, MECA can start fundraising for this multi-million dollar restoration project.

A volunteer cleanup day is set for Saturday, June 5. A link to MECA’s website is posted below if you’d like to volunteer.