Breaking Down Barriers to Getting Outside

The history and current reality of racism have created barriers for many people getting outside to enjoy the benefits of nature. WTA has been supporting the hiking community since our founding, but in the past decade we have been more intentionally focused on lowering barriers to access the outdoors and making our community more welcoming to all.

The history and current reality of racism have created barriers for many people getting outside to enjoy the benefits of nature. When you consider the uneven distribution of funding, information, green spaces and other resources, it is clear that many Washingtonians aren't able to benefit from or deepen connections to nature.

Trails for Everyone is building off of work WTA has been doing for years to make experiences on trail accessible and rewarding for everyone. We’ve been supporting the hiking community since our founding, but in the past decade we have been more intentionally focused on lowering barriers to accessing the outdoors and making our community more welcoming to all. We're doing that in a few ways.

Reducing Barriers to Getting Outside

We want to make it easy for hikers to find the information they need to get outside. We do that in a lot of ways — through our Hiking Guide and by sharing basic hiking skills in our Trail Smarts series, for instance. Our website is full of good information — and thanks to the support of our members, it has always been free.

We’re also doing hands-on work to help people gain new skills and get outside. One way is through our Outdoor Leadership Training program, which in the 10 years since it was founded, has trained more than 400 leaders. Those leaders have taken more than 19,000 people on outdoor excursions.

Creating Safe Spaces

WTA began offering shared-identity trail work parties more than 10 years ago to provide a safe space for volunteers from similar backgrounds and communities, including women and the LGBTQ+ community. This approach expands our volunteer base and helps more people gain skills in trail stewardship and access opportunities in the outdoor industry. Volunteers who have joined us on these trips have said that, while they had considered volunteering in the past, it was this community opportunity that encouraged them to finally sign up.

We've also built successful weeklong Latinx trail crew experiences in partnership with Latino Outdoors, in addition to work parties with other community-based organizations. And we created a New to Trail Work series to lower barriers for folks to try trail stewardship for the first time.

Our leaders are trained how to foster a welcoming environment, how to recognize bias and how to step in as needed to ensure everyone feels safe and supported while volunteering their time for trails.

We're also helping diverse individuals, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, gain skills and experience while exploring career paths in the natural resources and outdoor recreation sectors.

building Partnerships — the Cornerstone of Trails for Everyone

None of the work we are doing to create trails for everyone is done alone. Partner organizations are key to making this vision a reality. We are constantly learning from one another and finding new ways to collaborate and grow. Together, we can all get more done.

Read about our work in action

Hiker Headlines: Wildfire season starts, now hiring, free day, closures

Jun 18, 2026

This Friday is Juneteenth, and parking fees will be waived on state-managed lands. WTA is hiring for a seasonal trail crew leader. Join us at a backpacking workshop in mid-July. Goodell Creek Campground and Mallardy Road are currently closed. And wildfire season is upon us!

From accident to wheelchair accessibility advocate — a journey back to nature

Ian Mackay is using his experience to help others with limited mobility enjoy time on trail. By Jessi Loerch

A pathway to outdoor leadership: Volunteering with Outdoor Asian

May 20, 2026

Saira Shahid shares her path to the outdoors and becoming a volunteer leader with Outdoor Asian.

Hiker Headlines: Mountain Loop Highway, many roads reopening soon; Stehekin limited services; new free day

May 14, 2026

The Forest Service added a new fee-free day. WTA launched our Outdoor Leadership Training co-instructor program! Many road openings are on the horizon. The Mount Baker Highway will be closed on the morning of May 24 for the Ski to Sea race. And, read the Seattle Times' editorial about how the Forest Service reorganization spells bad news for our public lands.

Rolling out safety: How a student inspired a new gear solution

Apr 22, 2026

Thanks to a collaborative effort between WTA, the BRIDGES program and Switchback Repair - WTA's OLT program has a safe solution to knife and utensil storage.

'An incredible accomplishment' — How WTA helped get 20K kids outside

Mar 04, 2026

WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training program has supported over 20,000 youth experiences thanks to our gear libraries and funding assistance.