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

Northwest Weekend: Tri-Cities

Enjoy plentiful hiking, lots of sun and a bit of history in Southeast Washington | By Rachel Wood and Brandon Fralic

Hiker Headlines: Hunting Season, Long Weekend, Back to School

Sep 02, 2021

Hunting season is ramping up on many public lands across the state. The last long weekend of summer is right around the corner. And, it's time to head back to school.

El Centro de la Raza on the Trail: An Outdoor Field Trip for Teens

Sep 02, 2021

This trip, which was supported by WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training program, was a chance for teens to connect with each other and the outdoors.

You Know You're in Washington When...

Aug 31, 2021

Washingtonians are known for our love of hiking and outdoor recreation. This love of trails often bleeds into a lot of other aspects of our lives, too, like the clothes we wear and the cars we drive.

Worth the Weight: WTA Staff Add to the 10 Essentials

Aug 30, 2021

The little luxuries we like to add to our backpacks.

Hiker Headlines: Gear Libraries, Lyle Cherry Reopening, Wolverines, Community Science

Aug 26, 2021

WTA is excited to open our second gear library in Puget Sound. Lyle Cherry Orchard trails are once again open to hikers. Wildfire season isn't over yet — but we can help you plan around it. Wolverines are making a comeback in the Cascades. And, our local pikas could use your help. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Two Programs Emerge to Benefit the Health and Well-Being of Washington's Children and Adults

Aug 25, 2021

Two successes from the 2021 legislative session will help connect the benefits of nature with the people of Washington state: The Parks Rx Pilot Program and Licensing for Outdoor, Nature-Based Child Care.

Trails Next Door Are Always There For Me

Aug 24, 2021

The way I hike has been altered drastically, but my enjoyment of nature is unchanged.

WTA Opens Second Gear Library in South Puget Sound

Aug 20, 2021

New location will make it easier for more groups to get the gear they need to get outside with kids and families.

A Trails Rebooted Plan for a Special Area Near Mount Rainier

Aug 19, 2021

WTA is working with our partners to create new and improved opportunities for outdoor recreation in the Snoquera area, which offers an excellent area to disperse use from Mount Rainier National Park and other trails.

Hiker Headlines: Photo Contest, Road to Artist Point Open, Planes in Parks, National Park News

Aug 19, 2021

WTA’s annual Northwest Exposure Photo Contest is open. Highway 542 is open all the way to Artist Point for the first time this summer. Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks want input on their Air Tour Management Plans. The White House plans to nominate a new director for the National Park Service. All national parks are requiring face masks in all indoor spaces and outdoors where distancing is not possible, a good rule to remember if you visit on Aug. 25, for the upcoming fee-free day.

Planning for Paradise: Your Input on Mount Rainier's Future

Aug 18, 2021

Mount Rainier National Park is looking for your help to improve visitor experiences and reduce congestion in the most trafficked area of the park.

Young Volunteers Tackle Big Project for Year-Round Trails

Aug 17, 2021

Thanks to dozens of youth volunteers, hikers will have a better experience on easily accessible, year-round trails at Big Finn Hill Park.

Writing Away the Miles: Poetry & Hiking

Aug 13, 2021

"Hiking, like poetry, gives me the room to explore my own thoughts. And one complements the other."

Hiker Headlines: Recreate Responsibly Update, Highway 20 Open, Some Trails and State Parks Closed, Changing Air Quality

Aug 12, 2021

The #RecreateResponsibly guidelines have been updated. The North Cascades Highway has reopened. A new fire in the Glacier Peak Wilderness remains small, but several trails are closed in the area. Some state parks have temporarily closed due to wildfires. Smoky air could be moving west across Washington this week.

You Make Trails Happen: Hikers Speak Up on Washington Trails Day

Aug 10, 2021

On Saturday Aug. 7, several thousand hikers took action at trailheads and online, calling for better funding for the Forest Service in celebration of Washington Trails Day.

#RecreateResponsibly Updates Guidelines

Aug 10, 2021

The national #RecreateResponsibly coalition is looking beyond the pandemic aiming to build an inclusive and conscientious outdoor culture.The updated guidance focuses on keeping people and outdoor spaces healthy through personal responsibilities and actions.

Helping Hikers and Collecting Vital Information on the Mountain Loop Highway

Aug 09, 2021

This summer, keep your eyes out for WTA volunteers on the Mountain Loop Highway. They won't be wearing hard hats — these folks will be in Gothic Basin and at Cutthroat Lakes several times this summer, sharing information about recreating responsibly and sustainably and doing visitor counts for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

One Year Later: How the Great American Outdoors Act Is Funding Trail Fixes

Aug 06, 2021

One year on from the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act, funding for stewardship and maintenance of trails has helped WTA to make great strides in our work. With four more years of GAOA funding to go, we're optimistic at what we can achieve, but we know that making trails for everyone, forever will take a lot more work.

Hiker Headlines: Washington Trails Day, Cascade River Road Closed, Fire Damage Averted, Hike-a-Thon

Aug 05, 2021

Washington's official state hiking holiday, Washington Trails Day is coming up this weekend. The Cascade River Road is closed again after recent storm damage. The recent fire at Lyle Cherry Orchard doesn't appear to have damaged new trails. Hike-a-Thon has officially kicked off, but it's not too late to join in. Catch the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. A fire near Granite Mountain should be avoided.

WTA Interviews Miles, Everyone's Favorite Marmot

Aug 03, 2021

What does the furry mascot of Hike-a-Thon have to say about WTA's biggest annual hiking event? Well...

Hiker Headlines: Celebrate Trails, Park Planning, Maps in Libraries, Wildfires

Jul 29, 2021

Get ready for some upcoming hiking holidays. The public can comment on two different management plans, one for the Olympic National Forest and one for Mount Rainier. Hikers can borrow maps, guidebooks and Discover Passes from Seattle libraries. It’s fire season — keep up to date on the closures and fire bans that remain in place.

How Do You Enjoy the Olympics? Help Plan the Future of Olympic National Forest

Jul 29, 2021

Olympic National Forest is looking to hear how you create in the region as part of their Sustainable Recreation plan.

Hiker Headlines: Wildfire Closures, Hike-a-Thon, Public Input, Nature and Health

Jul 22, 2021

All public land east of the Cascades managed by Washington State DNR will be closed starting Friday, July 23. WTA’s annual Hike-a-Thon, when hikers can support the trails they love while they hike, is underway. The public can provide input on two important recreation plans. A new study reaffirms that nature in cities improves health.

Take This Survey — And Help Make King County Parks More Equitable

Jul 22, 2021

King County Parks is soliciting community feedback via survey on priorities, needs and barriers related to park, trail and natural area access.

HOV Lanes, Drains, and Automobiles: Carpool to Your Next Work Party

Jul 20, 2021

You don’t have to go it alone: consider carpooling to your next work party. Carpooling is a great way to cut down on congestion on the road and at the trailhead, curb emissions and build community.

The Power of Loops & Connections

Jul 19, 2021

Creating trail systems that allow for loops makes a better experience for hikers — and it’s easier on the land, too.

Hiker Headlines: Fire Closures, Burn Bans, Lookout Restoration, New ADA Trail

Jul 15, 2021

Active wildfires have led to the closure of several recreation areas. Burn bans have been extended throughout the state. High Rock Lookout is receiving long-awaited restoration work. The Erinswood trail is looking forward to some upcoming ADA improvements. And, extended gear sizes may be coming to a retailer near you.

Reviving an Old Route to the Pratt

Jul 13, 2021

WTA has been hosting annual work parties and Backcountry Response Teams along the Pratt River Trail since 2016 as a part of our Lost Trails Found campaign. We're working to save this alternate access point into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and ensure plenty of hiking opportunities in a place that needs it most.

Outdoors Infrastructure Receives Big Boost in House, Looks for Support in Senate

Jul 09, 2021

The INVEST Act was passed through the U.S. House of Representatives with some legislation important to the outdoors — including the Legacy and Roads Trails Act, the Transit to Trails Act, and the Outdoors for All Act. But they are apart of a larger bill that is now in the hands of the Senate.

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