Success Stories

Learn about our impact for trails statewide, and check out some of the recent victories we've had in protecting trails.

Hikers speak up and help protect state funding for trails

May 01, 2025

The Washington State Legislature adjourned on April 27 after an incredibly difficult session. With the state facing a budget shortfall similar to the Great Recession, budget writers had to look for reductions across the board. Our state now has a budget for the next 2 years (2025-2027), and it includes essential funding for our outdoor places.

5 surprising ways WTA members are making trails for everyone, forever possible

Nov 20, 2024

From equipping outdoor educators with snowshoes for their students to helping hikers at trailheads, here are 5 cool things our members support.

The magic math of a single sleeping bag

Nov 04, 2024

When you are camping, a sleeping bag not only is an important survival tool but can provide a lot of comfort while you’re away from home. For people who are new to camping, a quality sleeping bag can make or break an entire trip.

WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training: 1,000 trips and counting!

Sep 23, 2024

WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training program has supported 1,000 trips with gear and funding assistance.

Great American Outdoors Act improves popular trails (roads, bathrooms and more)

Aug 01, 2024

For four years, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) — a federal bill that became law on August 4, 2020 — has been funding major improvements to some of our state’s most popular trails. But it's about to expire.

Gear up for learning: Transformative bikepacking trips for Olympia teens

Jul 09, 2024

The Avanti Bikes! program offers immersive educational experiences centered around bicycle education, safety, and community engagement. With the support of WTA, the program has also organized bikepacking trips to create hands-on learning opportunities, foster teamwork and promote environmental awareness.

No Child Left Inside gets more kids outdoors than ever

May 28, 2024

WTA and our partners — Youth Experiential Training Institute, The Wilderness Society and others — succeeded in securing No Child Left Inside's highest level of funding to date from the state legislature. This investment of $7 million for grants from 2023-2025 is now funding 92 programs around the state, supporting tens of thousands of Washington’s youth in getting outdoors.

Washington’s best-kept secret for funding the outdoors just got better

Mar 18, 2024

You may have never heard of Washington state’s Recreation Conservation Office (RCO), but for the past 60 years it has been protecting and improving our state’s outdoors. To help ecosystems and communities thrive, RCO invests in projects that protect lands and develop parks and trails. This spring, RCO is taking a new equity-focused approach to their grantmaking, so this best-kept secret just keeps getting better.

Wins for trails: Legislature funds forest conservation and work with tribes

Mar 12, 2024

Each year, WTA works with hikers like you, partner organizations and lawmakers during the state legislative session to get trails and public lands the funding they need. The 2024 state legislative session ended on March 7 with good news for trails and public lands. Nearly every priority that WTA was supporting ended up funded in the final state budget.

Hikers helped win funding that’s fixing Washington state’s longest trail

Feb 28, 2024

Two years ago, hikers like you helped secure a huge win for public lands in Washington state: $15 million of annual funding to tackle the recreation maintenance backlog on our state lands. Ever since, that funding has been improving trails, roads, bathrooms, campgrounds and more. We like to celebrate those wins, including recent work on the Palouse to Cascades Trail.

8 ways hikers are benefitting from critical federal funding

Feb 07, 2024

WTA was thrilled in 2020 when we rallied our hiking community and joined with partners to help pass the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Here’s some of the work that the GAOA has supported in Washington state, from 2021 through 2023, to help support millions of outdoor experiences.

In-Person Connections: 5 Ways WTA's Volunteer Ambassadors Helped Hikers

Dec 08, 2023

Community building happens on trail, online and in-person and it's an integral part fulfilling WTA’s mission. One way we're doing that work is thanks to our amazing WTA volunteer ambassadors, who are regularly making in-person connections.

WTA Completes New Tiger Mountain Reroute

Nov 29, 2023

In November, WTA crews finished up a 2-year project on Tiger Mountain, clearing hundreds of downed trees and wrenching more than 40 stumps out of the ground.

A Vision for the Future of the South Mountain Loop Highway

Nov 13, 2023

After 5 years of work, WTA and a cadre of regional experts have completed the south Mountain Loop Highway Trails Vision. This report sets out a vision for the future of this beloved recreation area that is within a one hour drive to 4 million people. It makes suggestions for maintaining key access roads, increasing wheelchair-friendly trail options, maintaining currently inaccessible trails and more.

Wildfires Damage Backcountry Trails. Here's Where WTA Is Helping Restore Them.

Oct 16, 2023

With wildfires burning bigger and hotter across remote areas of Washington, WTA's Lost Trails Found campaign commits year-after-year to restoring and rebuilding resilient trail networks in areas like the Pasayten Wilderness, the Entiat Wilderness and — now — an area of the Naches Ranger District east of Mount Rainier.

WTA Breaks Ground on New Trail Thanks to Planning, Funding, Volunteer Power

Sep 27, 2023

Last week, WTA volunteers cut brush, dug new tread and built retaining walls to begin work on a new 15-mile loop trail around Olsen Creek in Whatcom County. This trail, and the opportunities to get outdoors that it will create, is made possible by years of work by WTA and our partners.

Silver Star Vision Plan is a North Star for the Future of a Special Area

Jun 30, 2023

Trails planning is a detailed process. The Silver Star area in Southwest Washington has been the focus of planning work for years. Now we're happy to announce the vision plan for the future of this area is complete!

Historic State Funding Wins for Trails, Equity After a Decade of Work

Apr 26, 2023

WTA and hikers helped secure some incredible, and lasting, wins for ongoing trail funding in the 2023 state legislative session. WTA's Emerging Leaders Program in partnership with Washington State Parks was also funded, along with a number of other important projects and programs around the state.

We Did It! WTA Celebrates Game-Changing Investments for Trails, Outdoors this Legislative Session

Mar 11, 2022

WTA helped lead the way to a game-changing win at the state Legislature this year. State public land agencies will receive $15 million annually ($5m per agency) to improve outdoor recreation opportunities by addressing crucial maintenance needs. A new pilot project is being funded to provide leadership opportunities for underrepresented communities in the outdoors. We hope you’ll join us in thanking lawmakers for this huge win.

A Year of Achievements in Glendale Park

Dec 13, 2021

WTA, partners and the local community have made incredible headway in bringing access to this local park.

WTA's Pro Crew Finishes up Incredible Season

Oct 18, 2021

After 71 days and 4,243 hours of trail maintenance, WTA's first backcountry pro crew is wrapping up their packed season of trail work within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest!

New Loops, New Hikes, New Views in the Columbia River Gorge

Jul 02, 2021

Thanks to a partnership between Washington Trails Association and Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust, the trail system at the land trust’s Lyle Cherry Orchard Preserve has been improved.

GAOA Provides Vital Funding for Public Lands

Mar 03, 2021

The Great American Outdoors Act was a huge win for the outdoor community. Here’s some of the ways it will help Washington.

Hiker Headlines: Goodbye 2020, Winter Wonders, the Other Washington

Dec 30, 2020

It’s December 30. As the year ends, we look back on all the great work the WTA community accomplished in 2020. Getting outside during the winter is great for mental health, plus fee-free days make it easy to explore new state parks. Mount Rainier announced changes to its winter activities. And congressmembers in Washington D.C. asked for funding for local parks. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Small But Mighty: Backcountry Crews Make Big Strides on Lost Trails

Dec 09, 2020

Our pint-size backcountry crews were able to get a lot of work done — donating over 6,000 hours of work to lost trails across the state! We want to share a few highlights from our 2020 season to give you a peek at everything these crews accomplished.

Trail Volunteers: Thank You from a Blue Hat

Dec 07, 2020

2020 was hard, but volunteers have shown up for trails in a big way.

Mica Peak Traverse: Completing A New Trail Near Spokane

Nov 25, 2020

This fall, WTA volunteers and partners celebrated another win for trails in the Spokane-area, this time in the form of a trail connecting two of the region’s largest swaths of public land. The California Creek Trail, completed in mid-October, now officially connects Liberty Lake Regional Park and Mica Peak Conservation Area.

Grateful for the Wins: Some Good in a Tough Year

Nov 18, 2020

A moment of gratitude to our community for continuing to make so much possible. Together, helped hikers get outside, helped keep each other safe and even advanced some critical work for our mission.

Masks On, Hands Off (My Tools): Trail Work in the Time of COVID-19

Aug 13, 2020

COVID messed everything up. But despite the whirlwind of changing safety requirements, WTA has adapted our work parties so our volunteer crews can continue to do the work public land managers rely on to keep trails clear and safe for hikers.

How Powerful Partnerships Help WTA Build a Better Future for Trails

Aug 13, 2020

WTA has been bringing people together for years. By building connections, finding middle ground and creating shared goals, we are moving toward our vision of trails for everyone, forever. Here are a few recent examples of how, when we come together, we can do more for trails and the hiking community.