AdventuresNW
Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the largest state-based trails non-profit in the U.S. But that wasn’t always the case. What began in 1966 as Signpost, a grassroots newsletter pioneered by Louise Marshall to share backcountry adventures and trail conditions, evolved into one of the most recognizable resources for hikers in the Pacific Northwest.
Plenty has changed for the Washington Trails Association since its inception in 1966. One thing that’s not changing: the organization connects hikers with green spaces.
Much has changed since then. The region’s population has grown from 3 million to nearly 8 million. Exponentially more people are getting out on the trail. Over the course of those nearly 60 years, WTA has kept adapting to support trails and those who love to get outdoors.
Today, WTA mobilizes hikers to steward and advocate for trails. The organization’s goal: trails for everyone, forever. That means taking a holistic approach and recognizing and addressing the systemic barriers to time outside.
In 2025, that involves maintaining and building trails, lobbying for public lands through grassroots advocacy, sharing free hiking resources, and reducing barriers for youth to get outside.
Advocating for Public Land in Your Backyard
Olsen Creek State Forest is situated on Stewart Mountain, which rises above the north side of Lake Whatcom on a parcel of land managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Whatcom County. There’s high demand from Whatcom County trail users to access this area, but before the Olsen Creek trail system was developed, there were virtually no sanctioned trails there. That started to change in 2016 when DNR asked WTA and other partners to develop a plan to create a comprehensive trail system on this prime piece of recreational land.
Together, with the help of Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition, Back Country Horsemen of Washington, and other partners, the Baker to Bellingham Non-Motorized Recreation Plan was built. The proposal was approved, but without the requisite funding, it was difficult to move forward. WTA’s advocacy team, with the help of hikers and trail stewards, supported its partners at DNR in expressing the need for funding. The coalition’s voice was heard. With the help of WTA and its partners, DNR managed to collect enough funds in 2023. Shortly thereafter, WTA crews began work on building a 15-mile loop trail in the Olsen Creek area. The project marks a milestone in supporting partnerships between different trail user groups.
“We have a great working relationship with other user groups,” says Arlen Bogaards, WTA’s Northwest regional manager. “We don’t always agree on things, but we’ve figured out a way to work together to have a unified front. A little give and take helps to promote responsible recreation for all user groups.”
Since then, volunteer crews have worked hard to cut brush, enhance drainage, and get the trail sanctioned and open. The project is about one-third complete. Once finished, the loop will serve as a link to other trails and parks, connecting various trail groups with access to water, forests, and everything else the region has to offer.
WTA’s advocacy efforts manifest in more places than in your backyard. Each year, WTA brings hikers’ voices into Washington’s state legislative session to ask representatives for funding and policies that help people get outdoors. This includes bringing hikers to Olympia for Hiker Rally Day during budget years. Additionally, WTA connects with its partners to lobby for federal funding for trails at Hike the Hill, an annual gathering of the trails community in Washington D.C. every February.
Meeting the Demand for Trail Access
Olsen Creek isn’t the only place in Northwest Washington where WTA’s trail maintenance efforts are felt. in 2023, WTA crews helped build a pedestrian-safe path on the Clayton Beach Trail at Larrabee State Park. Prior to 2023, the trail brought hikers across railroad tracks onto an uneven, muddy trail. WTA and Washington State Parks partnered to create a safe, established track for hikers hoping to visit this well-loved destination.
“The Clayton Beach Trail is highly used and well-known,” says Bogaards. “Not every trail we work on is deep in the wilderness. For everyday beachgoers, the improvements our volunteers made were huge.”
Another area where hikers can appreciate WTA’s handy work is at Turtleback Mountain Preserve on Orcas Island. The San Juan Island County Conservation Land Bank enlisted the help of WTA volunteer crews to build a series of new switchbacks on the far side of the Morning Ridge Trail, which transports hikers up to Ship Peak. This new stretch of track replaces an old roadbed suffering from erosion. Future projects planned at Turtleback Mountain Preserve include the South Loop Trail on the south end of the mountain, helping hikers visit a lesser-used area of the park while minimizing impact on existing trails.
The Trail Stewards of Tomorrow
The creation and maintenance of these trails is a big win for hikers in Northwest Washington. But before these trails can endure the test of time, it’s crucial to ensure we also prepare hikers for the future. That’s why WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training program supports the next generation by equipping educators and community leaders with the skills and resources they need to take their youth outside safely. For many of these groups, acquiring proper gear is a big challenge.
In 2023, educators from Whatcom Intergenerational High School connected with WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training Program to help them facilitate taking their students on camp-outs. Teachers attended WTA workshops to learn outdoor skills, then borrowed gear from WTA (The WTA has two gear lending libraries: one in Seattle and one in the South Puget Sound). The school received funding assistance from WTA to help finance student camp-outs in 2023, 2024, and 2025. With a bit of help from WTA, these students built meaningful experiences in green spaces they might not have had the opportunity to visit otherwise.
People protect the places they love, which is why it’s so important that young people have an opportunity to get outside. WTA’s Emerging Leaders Program, a curriculum designed to provide professional development and entry points for early-career trail stewards to get a start in the outdoor industries, ran from 2020 to 2025. The program’s cohort did a trail maintenance project at Deception Pass State Park each year. WTA is continuing to explore opportunities to expand Outdoor Leadership Training programming to better serve communities in Northwest Washington.
Hiker Outreach and Education
Maintaining trails isn’t the only way to donate your time to trails. WTA ambassadors volunteer statewide to encourage stewardship, share hiking resources, and talk to hikers about Leave No Trace principles. You might see them at events, like Ski to Sea or the Bigfoot Festival in Maple Falls, sharing WTA resources. Trailhead outreach allows ambassadors to meet hikers at trailheads—places like Artist Point, Heliotrope Ridge, Bagley Lakes, and more, all in partnership with Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
From 2022 to 2025, WTA partnered with Glacier Peak Institute, a Darrington-based non-profit, for trailhead outreach along the Mountain Loop Highway to help hikers recreate responsibly. Putting boots on the ground in popular areas like Lake 22 and the Barlow Pass trailhead teaches hikers how they can lessen their impact on the environment.
WTA also organizes a Hiker Happy Hour series. Watch for the next one in 2026 to connect with other hikers and learn the latest about trails in your region.
A Future of Trails for Everyone, Forever
WTA looks forward to commemorating its 60th anniversary next year. The non-profit’s origins back in 1966 were humble, but today, the organization employs about 85 full and part-time staff statewide and has over 26,000 members. From WTA’s headquarters in downtown Seattle to regional offices, like the ones in Bellingham, Vancouver, or Spokane, their work is impacting hikers and lands across the state.
You can help by becoming a member today. A donation of $1 will make you a member, and with a donation of $20 or more, you’ll receive a print subscription to Washington Trails magazine and a copy of the annual calendar with photos from trails across the state. Trail stewards at WTA know that everyone has a different relationship with the outdoors. Whether you’re new to hiking and looking for winter trails this season or are a seasoned hiker in search of stewardship opportunities, you’ll find a resource or opportunity for you to get involved.
So the next time you head out onto the trail, take a deep breath and consider the people and effort that made your experience possible. Your support empowers WTA to continue its legacy of supporting the inspiring trails found here in Cascadia. Happy hiking!
Getting Outside with WTA’s Free Online Resources
You can learn everything you need to know about Washington trails by checking out WTA’s free online resources at wta.org. Hikers looking for the perfect trail can browse 4,000+ options using our Hiking Guide, which allows you to filter trails by region, length, and elevation change. There’s even a Hike Finder Map to help locate trails in your area.
Hikers hoping to learn nuanced information, or who want to live vicariously through other hikers, can check out WTA trip reports to learn what other trail users have been up to across Washington. The most convenient part? WTA’s Hiking Guide, Hike Finder Map, and trip reports are all available in the Trailblazer mobile app.
Plus, there’s never been a better time to delve into WTA’s Trail Smarts: a treasure trove of hiking resources, like how to layer in winter or which traction devices are best for your upcoming outings. WTA even offers curated lists of trail suggestions to scratch whatever hiking itch you have. Resources and trails are broken down by season.
Become a trail ambassador and help represent WTA at events and trailheads statewide. Learn more at: www.wta.org/ambassadors
Joe Gonzalez is an outdoor storyteller and accomplished thru-hiker. He works on the Washington Trails Association’s communications team, where he helps share trail resources and empower hikers to champion public lands. When he’s not on the trail, you can find him foraging, paddling, or lost in a good story.
