Putting Lost Trails Back on the Map

We need boots on the ground now to bring these trails back into hiking shape.

Miles of trails into Washington’s wild and remote landscapes are not receiving the maintenance they need. These routes have been, or are at risk of, being lost. We need boots on the ground now to bring these trails back into hiking shape.

Through our summer Backcountry Response Teams, we send hundreds of volunteers into stunning backcountry locations for 3 - 8 day stretches throughout the summer.

In 2021, WTA piloted our first paid, backcountry professional trail maintenance crew to focus on remote projects in three major Wilderness areas in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest: Glacier Peak, Pasayten, and Lake Chelan/Sawtooth.

This crew was able to reach deeper sections of the wilderness than WTA’s standard backcountry volunteer opportunities. Oftentimes, a hike into the Pasayten will take a full day — if not more — which limits the amount of work our volunteer crews can accomplish.

We've accomplished so much on backcountry trails since 2021. Check out this interactive storymap to see how WTA has restored trails in the Pasayten.

Stories from Lost Trails

Youth Volunteers Restore Years of Neglect on Ingalls Creek Trail

Feb 23, 2018

This past summer, a group of 10 dedicated teens spent sixteen days camped beside Ingalls Creek, improving one of the key access routes to the Stuart Range and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

An Effort to Clear the Path in Goat Rocks Wilderness

Feb 07, 2018

Years of storm damage, fallen trees and road washouts have dwindled the Goat Rocks accessibility to a handful of trailheads. WTA volunteer trail maintenance crews spent weeks throughout the summer working across the Goat Rocks trail system, clearing logs, fixing tread and roughing-in re-routes in the hopes of expanding the number of available trails and dispersing hikers to lessen the impact on this delicate ecosystem.

7 Signs Your Trail is in Trouble & What to Do About it

Jan 12, 2018

Recognize the common ways healthy trails deteriorate and how you can help.

Lost Trails Found: Regaining Access to the North Fork Sullivan

Dec 13, 2017

Strong partnerships and a lot of hard work in the field makes for big improvements in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness.

Saving Lost Trails, One Step at a Time

Nov 06, 2017

WTA launched our Lost Trails Found campaign, with the goal of restoring trails that are slowly but surely disappearing. Key trails were identified and WTA marched onward with the ambitious goal of rehabilitating at least three lost trails.

Recovering From the Ashes: Fixing Trails After a Wildfire

Jul 06, 2017

WTA volunteers repair trails damaged by fires around Mount Adams, Holden Village and along the Entiat River.

Saving Lost Trails: 3 Areas Where WTA Will Focus in 2017

Mar 07, 2017

The hiking community has an opportunity this year to save three iconic places that represent the variety of challenges trails are facing across the state.

To Prevent Lost Trails, Training Tomorrow's Backcountry Stewards

Mar 11, 2016

Trails get lost in a variety of ways and volunteers have the skills to find them. But how does a person actually learn to care for our treasured places?

Snowall BCRT: We're Gonna Need a Bigger Saw

Aug 27, 2015

Thirteen miles, four days, eight volunteers and more trees across a trail than you could count.