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

Red Bluff BCRT: Saving Trails in Colville National Forest

Aug 05, 2015

Take a look at what a WTA volunteer crew can accomplish in four days! This 10-person crew replaced a worn-out bridge with a sturdy new turnpike on the Red Bluff Trail in the Colville National Forest.

Horses and Handsaws: Repairing Trails with the Help of Back Country Horsemen

Sep 10, 2014

Each year, several of WTA's Volunteer Vacations and Backcountry Response Teams (BCRTs) are supported by Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW). This year, WTA employees got a firsthand look at what goes into repairing trails with the help of a pack string.