Hiker Headlines: GivingTuesday, WTA is hiring, stay overnight at Fort Worden State Park

It’s Nov. 20. GivingTuesday is coming up on Dec. 2! WTA is hiring for several 2026 seasonal positions — apply now. Gifford Pinchot National Forest has closed Forest Road 6808 due to a sinkhole, and its voicemail system is currently down. Christmas tree permits are now available in some national forests, and Washington State Parks is piloting a lodging program at Fort Worden State Park. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Christmas tree permits are now available in some national forests. Photo by Justin Roberts. 

Get ready for GivingTuesday: Dec. 2 is GivingTuesday, an opportunity to turn your love for the outdoors into action. Early giving is now open. Your donation today will help us start GivingTuesday strong and will be put straight to work maintaining and protecting public lands. Plus, you'll become a member in time to receive WTA's annual calendar, featuring breathtaking photos of Washington's landscapes, wildlife and more!

Now hiring! WTA is hiring several seasonal positions for 2026: trail crew leaders in Olympic National Forest, Mount Rainier National Park and Darrington Ranger District, as well as members, assistant crew leaders and crew leaders for our professional crews. For more information on each of these positions, including job descriptions, pay, base of operations and priority application deadlines, check out our job opportunities page. 

Forest road closure: Gifford Pinchot National Forest has temporarily closed Forest Road 6808, just north of Carson,  between milepost 3.9 and 4.2 due to a sinkhole. 

Gifford Pinchot voicemail down: Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s voicemail system is currently down. Updates will be posted on its alerts website. Check WTA’s Hiking Guide for information on hikes in the national forest. 

Christmas tree permits: Permits for visitors to cut their own Christmas trees are now available from Olympic, Colville and Umatilla national forests. 

Fort Worden lodging: Washington State Parks will be opening up certain buildings in Fort Worden State Park’s historic campus for lodging over certain weeks this upcoming holiday season (around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s) as part of a pilot program. Reservations can be made up to 3 days prior. The Commons Building lobby has also reopened, offering Fort Worden visitors food and other services. 

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