Stories & News

Get the latest news, how-to advice, and feature articles about the trail community, the current hiking season and issues impacting trails you love.

Get local news, how-to advice, and feature articles about our trail community, the current hiking season in Washington and issues impacting trails you love.

Learn more about: WTA member magazine | Signpost blog

Shaping the Future of Recreation in Snoquera

Snoquera offers endless opportunities for outdoor recreation | By Christina Hickman

Building Trail Smart Hikers in 2020

Jul 17, 2020

From a nationwide coalition to an email series, we're helping hikers learn responsible hiking skills in innovative ways in 2020.

Hiker Headlines: Write Your Representative, Latino Conservation Week, Comet, Rainier Q&A

Jul 16, 2020

It's July 16. Please write to your House member right now to support the Great American Outdoors Act. Latino Conservation Week kicks off soon. We have some tips on where you can hike to see the comet. And Mount Rainier's superintendent answers some questions about this summer.

Trails Forever: Building a Sustainable Trail System That Will Stand the Test of Time

What it takes to build a healthy, durable trail system. By Jessi Loerch

What to Expect at Mount Rainier This Summer: Q&A With Rainier's Superintendent

Jul 10, 2020

WTA staff recently sat down — over Zoom — with Chip Jenkins, superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park, to gain some behind the scenes insight on what we can expect at the park this year.

Hiker Headlines: Act Now for Public Lands, Coronavirus, Online Events

Jul 09, 2020

It's July 9. If you act now, you can help public lands get vital funding for years to come. WTA joined partners for an exciting talk about the value of time outside, and how we can help more people enjoy time in nature. Coronavirus continues to disrupt some outdoors services. And we have ideas for a few — remote — events to celebrate the outdoors. Here's some news you might have missed while out on trail this week.

Helping Disabled People Find Belonging Outdoors

Accessibility can benefit everyone who spends time on trail | By Syren Nagakyrie

Taking Hikes, Building Friendships

Jul 07, 2020

When she was brand-new to Washington, time on trails helped Kayla Nunez find her new community.

Low Snow, High Peaks and Big Views: Summer's Coming to Washington

Jul 06, 2020

The long weekend inspired a lot of you to get outside. Trip reports show everything from backyard to backcountry, and a lot of you headed to some standby areas for adventure: the Mountain Loop Highway, Snoquera, and the Teanaway, part of WTA's Trails Rebooted campaign.

Hiker Headlines: Fire Safety, Hike-a-Thon, Inclusive Trails, National Park Re-openings

Jul 02, 2020

It's July 2. We all need to keep safety in mind right now — from fires to fireworks. And while we're at it, let's also keep each other safe and welcome everyone on trail. You can now register for WTA's Hike-aThon! National parks continue to open up more options for exploring. And a bill in Congress offers some good news for road access to trailheads. Here's some news you might have missed wile out on trail this week.