Washington Trails Association is here to play the role of that helpful friend from day one — even before you meet some hiking buddies. If you’re one of the tens of thousands of people who move to Washington each year, WTA’s free resources can help you choose the right trail for you, prepare for your hike and have a fun, safe experience exploring your spectacular new home.

Here are six ways that WTA, like a knowledgeable, local hiking buddy, is here to help folks who are new in town:

They’ve got the download on all the hikes (and are excited to share them with you)

WTA’s Hiking Guide, available on the WTA Trailblazer app and on wta.org, is the most comprehensive database of hikes in Washington. It’s full of trail descriptions, driving directions and pro tips written by local hiking experts and vetted by WTA staff. 

“I love reading the descriptions on WTA from your staff. It gives me a great picture of what to expect,” said Dawn Zaremba, who moved to Washington 2.5 years ago.

You can download Trailblazer for iPhone or Android and unlock information on over 4,000 hikes.

 Photo by Joshua Barza

They give great trail recommendations that are perfect for your hiking style.

4,000 hikes?! That’s a lot of options. Luckily for those of us who need a little help deciding, WTA has a hike recommender that makes personalized suggestions based on the hikes you’ve saved.

Here’s how to get curated recommendations:

1. Create a My Backpack account or log in.
2. Save a few hikes you’re interested in to your account. 
3. Find three hike ideas at the top of your “My Hikes and Recommendations” page.
   
   

“I’m not new anymore, but I moved here 11 years ago, and the first 2 to 3 years, the website helped me learn SO much. I felt overwhelmed when I arrived — where to go, how to get there, how to be safe, what passes — all of it felt like a lot to learn. But I set up an account (among a few other things), and I learned so much. I found the Hike Finder Map incredibly easy to use (even whatever iteration of it was up all those years ago). The articles were helpful for me to learn about safety and some of the more popular trails each season to know where to go at first. Now I still use it extensively for trip planning and getting an idea for conditions during shoulder seasons by reading trip reports.” — hiker kjo1232.

They keep you in the loop.

Trail conditions are always changing with the seasons, and it’s important to know what you’re hiking into before you go. That’s where hiker-written Trip Reports come in!

“I love reading the trip reports because they give me current insight to actual conditions in layman's terms,” Lucretia Choto said. 

Submitted by hikers, for hikers, trip reports can help you answer questions like…

• How long did it take for various folks to hike the trail? 
• Is the trail muddy or dry? 
• Are there obstacles like fallen trees on the trail — and if so, can I pass them?
• Can I get to the trail via public transit? 
• Is there a bathroom at the trailhead (and, importantly, is it stocked with TP)? 
• Where can I stop for a lunch break with a view? 
• Are there potholes on the road I should watch out for? 

Photo by Patty Tang

“Trip reports are life saving for realistic adjustments as your day approaches, especially for we newbs. In prep and in post, I've learned a lot there and am continually grateful for the variety of perspectives and ‘at present’ need-to-knows they shared,” said hiker Trendyrende on Instagram.

They help you gear up and skill up to achieve your outdoor dreams.

WTA’s Trail Smarts resources cover just about everything an outdoor enthusiast could want to know — from 101 articles for new hikers, campers, and backpackers, to gear recommendations to next-level skills for the seasoned trekker like crafting your own hiking loop. Like a good friend, they meet you where you are and support you in growing in the ways that you’re excited to grow.

They invite you to do fun things where you’ll meet cool people and make a difference. 

If you’ve ever hiked with new friends, you know how great of an opportunity it is to bond over a shared experience. Now, imagine hitting the trail with hard hats on and tools in hand, then creating something tangible that you can be proud of together. Therein lies the beauty of volunteer trail work, In the process of maintaining trails, you build the special kind of friendships that grow from doing something a little challenging (and getting grimy) together.

“Being new to Seattle/WA state, it’s important for me to get involved early in volunteer opportunities that I can commit to and be excited about!” said a member of WTA’s Trail Action Network about volunteering with WTA. 

Want to meet hiking buddies without the hard hat? Sign up for WTA’s annual Hike-a-Thon when registration opens in July and check out this list of community hiking groups across the state.

Photo by Sahana Ballabh

“I fortunately found wta.org early on and used trip reports and trail descriptions extensively! WTA had been with me the whole way. Celebrating 11 years in WA, today!” – Hiker latourvi

They stick around. 

WTA is not like that acquaintance who says “Let’s get coffee sometime!” then never texts to make plans. On the contrary, WTA has been here for hikers since 1966 and isn't going anywhere!

If any of this sounds helpful to you, we hope you’ll keep in touch. Sign up for Trail News and get seasonal hiking recommendations, expert tips and beautiful scenery delivered to your inbox every month.