Stories & News

Get the latest news, how-to advice, and feature articles about the trail community, the current hiking season and issues impacting trails you love.

Get local news, how-to advice, and feature articles about our trail community, the current hiking season in Washington and issues impacting trails you love.

Learn more about: WTA member magazine | Signpost blog

Hiker Headlines: Franklin Falls, Denny Creek and Road to Heliotrope Ridge Reopen; Sno-Park Permits On Sale

Nov 02, 2023

Great news — Franklin Falls, Denny Creek and the road to Heliotrope Ridge are all open again! The Snoqualmie Tunnel on the Palouse to Cascades Trail is closed for the winter. And speaking of winter: sno-park permit season is here, and we’ve got a lot of rain in the forecast.

Trails Built for Our Kid: Why Accessible Trails Matter

Wheelchair accessible hiking allows us to share reverence for the natural world as a family. By Krista Hanson

A getaway to see eagles, hike and eat great food in the Fraser River Valley

By Julia Duin

Trip Report Roundup: Happy Halloween!

Oct 31, 2023

It's Halloween! We asked you to share trip reports from your costumed, spooky hikes. Here are a few of them.

Hiker Headlines: WTA is Hiring, Artist Point and Cascade River Roads Closed, Chilly Weather is Here

Oct 27, 2023

Next Tuesday is Halloween; we want to see your costume hikes in trip reports! It’s trail and road closure season, so get ready to plan around some closures that may affect your hikes. Olympic National Forest wants to hear from you about the future of Klahanie Campground. It's Seattle Forest Week, there's cold weather on the way, and we're hiring!

Video: Spotlight on WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training Program

Oct 25, 2023

Hear from WTA staff and partners about how the program has made 18,000 outdoor experiences possible.

Snapshot: Family Time and a Pensive Porcupine

Oct 24, 2023

National wildlife refuges are great for wildlife photography. Photographer Gabi Randall and her grandmother might not have found the wildlife they were looking for, but they did get an unexpectedly fun encounter instead.

Hiker Headlines: WTA is Hiring, Lake 22 Trail & Rainier Winter Road Closures, Orionids

Oct 19, 2023

WTA is now hiring for a full-time development coordinator. Many places — including Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks — are transitioning to winter operations, so expect some road and trail closures. And Mount Rainier National Park is asking for the public’s input on future plans to improve accessibility. Plus, meteors.

Celebrating Our Volunteers and the Community They Create!

Oct 18, 2023

Volunteer Appreciation Week 2023 has come to a close, and we're all smiles as we look back on the memories we made while celebrating together. Thank you to everyone who joined us for events, we loved getting to connect with you are reflect on all we've accomplished this year.

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.

Hiker Headlines: WTA is Hiring, Sunrise Rd. Closed, Annular Eclipse on Saturday

Oct 12, 2023

WTA is now hiring for next year’s Lost Trails Found trail crew. Last call for photos for the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest! Sunrise Road in Mount Rainier National Park is closed for the season. Share your experience with and thoughts on the future of Seward Park. And this Saturday, there’s an annular "ring of fire" eclipse that Washington will be able to see at more than half-fullness — if you’re hoping to have some fun afterward, the Goldendale Observatory is celebrating its 50th anniversary that afternoon!

How Two Fireside Circle Members are Making a Difference with WTA

Oct 10, 2023

Two Fireside Circle members share how and why they support WTA, both as volunteers and donors.

10 Stories from 10 Years of Outdoor Leadership Training: How WTA Helps Community Leaders and Kids Get Outside

Oct 06, 2023

Over the last decade, WTA has met some incredible leaders through the Outdoor Leadership Training (OLT) program from a variety of programs, including educators, therapists, youth ministers, scouts, environmental justice workers and members of tribal and affinity groups. As a way to look back and celebrate the OLT program’s 10th anniversary, we wanted to revisit 10 stories from our partners.

Hiker Headlines: Hurricane Ridge Closure, Bear Poles Removed for the Season, Free Day

Oct 05, 2023

WTA’s Trailblazer app was included in the Seattle Times’s recommendations for a Seattle starter kit. Oct 10 is World Mental Health Day, and parking fees will be waived in some areas. Be aware of some closures at Hurricane Ridge Area and the Quinault Rainforest trailhead, in addition to areas with planned burns. And bear poles are being removed from backcountry camps in Mount Rainier National Park — make sure to bring your bear canisters!

Recreate Responsibly: Reflecting on Three Years of Impact

Oct 04, 2023

The #recreateresponsibly movement was foraged during the pandemic, and has since grown into a national movement. Washington Trails Association and the Mountains to Sound Greenway are continuing to lead the charge in bringing the outdoor recreation community together under an adaptive goal of stewarding responsible recreation.

Your Vote in Action: King County Parks Levy

Oct 02, 2023

We look in at the midway point of the King County Parks Levy to check on the trails built and the work accomplished by its funding.

Dash Point State Park Reveals: WTA is More Than Trails

Oct 02, 2023

Dash Point State Park is a great example of how WTA works in many different ways to create trails for everyone, forever. We are working behind the scenes to fund land management agencies, and we’re working on the ground to rebuild trails. From empowering partners to get their communities outdoors – to helping everyone who gets outdoors to see the part they play in stewarding the places they love, we are building a better future for trails.

Hiker Headlines: Emerging Leaders Program Hiring, Breaking Ground on New Trail, Mount Rainier Road Closures

Sep 28, 2023

WTA is hiring for its next Emerging Leaders Program cohort! We’re excited to have started work on a new trail in Whatcom County. Some new funding come to Pacific Northwest urban forests and communities. You'll want to plan around some road closures that might affect your upcoming hikes, as well as some upcoming prescribed burns near Trout Lake. And we’re starting to see some snow in the high country!

The ABCs of Hiking in Washington

Here are (more than) 26 things that are special about hiking in Washington.

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.

How WTA is Building a Path to Outdoor Jobs With Leadership and Collaboration

Sep 26, 2023

WTA's Emerging Leaders Program, which helps increase access to jobs in the outdoor sector, is heading into its fourth year. We're now accepting applications for the 2024 cohort. And we're looking back at what the program has accomplished so far.

15,000+ miles and $244,000+ raised: a recap of our biggest Hike-a-Thon yet

Sep 19, 2023

We're excited to share the results of Hike-a-Thon 2023. We’re so grateful for every Hike-a-Thon participant and supporter that made Hike-a-Thon a part of their summer and dedicated time and energy to trails. WTA thanks you — and so do trails!

Highlights of the 2023 Lost Trails Found Season

Sep 19, 2023

WTA's Lost Trails Found crews have been busy this season. We checked-in to see what they've been up to. | By Joseph Gonzalez

Celebrating 30 Years of WTA Trail Maintenance — and Looking to the Future

WTA’s trail maintenance program has evolved over the years, but continues to focus on the values of community originally envisioned by its founders. | By Anna Roth

Hiker Headlines: 30 Years of Trail Maintenance, More Highway 20 Trails Reopen, Hurricane Ridge Road to Close Temporarily

Sep 14, 2023

We’re celebrating 30 years of trail maintenance at WTA! Sept 23 is National Public Lands Day. Take a survey to help Gifford Pinchot National Forest develop a sustainable trails strategy. There are some current and upcoming closures you might want to note when planning your weekend, but — in good news — some of the North Cascades wildfire closures have lifted.

Share Your Hopes for Trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Sep 14, 2023

Gifford Pinchot National Forest is creating a sustainable trail system plan to guide future recreation opportunities across the forest and to support visits to iconic places like High Rock Fire Lookout, Goat Rocks Wilderness, Mount Adams and Mount Saint Helens. The forest’s leadership wants to hear from you by Sept. 30 to learn what you value about access to this landscape and where you see opportunities to better meet needs in the future.

Crazy in Love (with Hiking): Trails to Pair with Your Favorite Beyoncé Songs

Sep 11, 2023

Beyoncé is bringing her Renaissance World Tour to Seattle on Thursday, Sept. 14. To celebrate, here are seven hikes to go along with seven iconic songs by Queen Bey.

Hiker Headlines: WTA's Favorite Central WA Hikes, Some Hwy 20 Trails Reopen, New Trail Fire Closures

Sep 07, 2023

Join WTA staffers for a virtual chat about some of our favorite Central Washington hikes on Sept 14. Some trails along Highway 20 have reopened, but make sure you’re also aware of some closures throughout the state. And celebrate Girl Scouts Love State Parks Weekend this weekend!

Partnerships Made the Popular Suntop Lookout ADA-Accessible

Sep 05, 2023

Fire lookouts are perhaps the last destinations most people would recommend to someone searching out trails that meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards. These locations often come with long, grueling hikes on trails that can be in terrible shape. But thanks to work from a legion of volunteers, nonprofit and agency staff, the Suntop Fire Lookout off Highway 410 will soon be ADA-accessible, truly a trail for everyone.

Hiker Headlines: Hurricane Ridge Fire, Same-Day Camping Reservations, Fun Finder Map

Aug 31, 2023

Highway 20 has reopened, but recreation is still closed in the area. The Hurricane Ridge Area has closed due to a lightning-sparked fire, and Highway 970 near Cle Elum will have some closures and delays this weekend. Some good news: King County Parks has a new Backyard Fun Finder and there are now more state parks where you can reserve same-day campsites. And happy Labor Day Weekend!

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