DENVER (AP) -- Some 15,000 members of the Rainbow Family who spent up to a week camping in the woods of northwest Colorado left a big imprint on the land, the Forest Service said.

Aerial photographs show the campers carved 40-50 miles of trails in the woods and a nearby meadow, Forest Service spokeswoman Denise Ottaviano said.

Rainbows profess peace, love and respect for the earth, but any gathering that size will have consequences, Ottaviano said.

"There was just a shocking amount of trails through that area," she said. "Just simply by being there they had an impact on the land."

Rainbows dug fire pits and latrines, and foot traffic among four square miles of camps trampled grass and left paths.

After the crowd peaked July 4 for an annual peace prayer, Rainbows have been leaving the area in a steady stream.

As the gathering winds down, the business community is reporting some good news. How good, it's hard to tell.

Riley Polumbus, communications director for the Steamboat Chamber Resort Association, said grocery stores reported a boost in business, but with the gathering falling between the busy Fourth of July and Hot Air Balloon Rodeo weekends, the effects of the gathering mingled with other tourist events.

The Rainbow Family, a group that claims it has no leaders or organizers, camped without a permit in violation of federal rules. Law enforcement officers from the Forest Service and state and county agencies issued more than 500 citations, most for illegal camping, drugs or alcohol.

Several hundred Rainbows were expected to stay behind after Friday's official end to the gathering. Members say they will remain on the land into August, helping to clean up, reseed, remove footbridges and return the land to its natural state.

Forest Service specialists, including experts in soil and water plan to supervise the restoration.