2023 Accomplishments
We're lucky to live in a place with such wonderful trails and hiking. And the work we do as a nonprofit is a big reason why Washington has such a robust trail system. Volunteers, advocates, educators, and passionate hikers make up our community that cares for and creates trails. This year held a lot of milestones for us, including three major anniversaries.
Marking Anniversaries & Growth
- Our volunteer trail maintenance program celebrated 30 years.
- Hike-a-Thon — our August hiking extravaganza — celebrated 20 years of crowdfunding to support trails.
- Our Outdoor Leadership Training program marked 10 years of helping people get outside.
We also saw landmark successes for the future of trails:
Advocates secured funding for trails and two more years of our Emerging Leaders Program, which helps participants start careers in the outdoor world. Several participants in our ELP and youth programs have pursued outdoors careers thanks to their time with WTA.
Trailhead ambassadors across the state helped hikers recreate responsibly in Washington.
Member donations support all our work. With you, we're looking at a bright future for trails. Whether you're a volunteer, a donor, or a program participant, thanks for being part of our community.
"Thank you so much for all your work on Washington's trails, and advocacy for the outdoors! One of the most unique things about living in WA state is having such a strong community dedicated to the trails." — Alex, WTA Member
WTA by the Numbers
- 5 million people rely on our online resources
- 152,000 hours of trail work (10,974 hours of them by youth)
- 110,000+ people used our mobile app
- 66,000+ advocates speak up for public lands with WTA
- 27,000+ members support our work with a donation
- 635 Hike-a-Thoners hit the trails to support our work
- 5,500 trip reporters shared information back
- 3,560 volunteers helped build and maintain trail, 595 of them youth
- 43 shared identity trail crews repaired trails and built community
Outdoor Leadership Training: 10 Years of Getting People Outside
In 2023, 80+ leaders — the most ever trained in a year — joined our Outdoor Leadership Training workshops to gain skills and confidence in leading groups outdoors. Since the program launched 10 years ago, it has supported more than 18,400 outdoor experiences through gear lending and funding assistance! Here are a few of those stories.
Celebrating 10 Years of Outdoor Leadership Training for the Next Generation
WTA is celebrating a major milestone in our Outdoor Leadership Training program. For a decade, we have been helping community leaders get outside with youth and families. By offering training, gear and resources, we have helped make more than 18,000 outdoor experiences possible. By Jessi Loerch and Rachel Wendling
Taking Students Hiking and Backpacking — With a Little Help from WTA
Seattle charter school Rainier Prep recently added outdoor programs to its curriculum. Last year, six teachers from Rainier Prep attended WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training workshop. Since taking the workshop, they've hit the ground running and have successfully led two trips in the last year.
Outdoor Leadership Training Success Stories
Read how WTA's work has touched the lives of people across the state.
The most valuable thing I learned from the workshop was preparation. Having listened to other participants from the workshop ... was more valuable to me than I really expected.” —Parent volunteer leader from All Saints Catholic School, OLT Workshop participant
"One student was looking at the stars and said, "This is the best night of my life." She went on to explain how she always wanted to see the stars but has never left the city."
— Sara Ullmer, Highline High School, 2015
Inspiration and Training for Careers Outside
We believe everyone deserves the chance to engage with nature. In Washington — where a significant percentage of our economy is tied to recreation — that means offering ways for people to find careers in the outdoor world.
We do our best to create job opportunities, and we offer trainings built to help people land their dream jobs. From programs like Emerging Leaders to Outdoor Leadership Training WTA is helping foster the trail leaders of tomorrow.
WTA Work Party Puts Youth Volunteer on Path to an Outdoors Career
A WTA work party put a dedicated WTA youth volunteer on a path to a career in the outdoors.
WTA’s Emerging Leaders Program is Creating a Welcoming Space to Learn and Grow in the Outdoor Community
Charlie Lavides faced hurdles entering the outdoor industry. WTA's Emerging Leaders Program granted them an opportunity to foster and find community on Washington trails. By Charlie Lavides
How WTA is Building a Path to Outdoor Jobs With Leadership and Collaboration
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.
Prioritizing Access
Accessibility isn't just being able to drive to a trailhead. It's being able to get useful information about the wheelchair-friendliness of a trail, having clear and safe trails to hike, even having reliable bus service to and from the trailhead.
Here's what we did this year to improve access to hiking for more people.
Advocating for Transit
Nearly 1600 hikers supported our Transit to Trails Act petition. The act would connect more people to trails by providing new routes to trailheads, and ensure those options are accessible to people with disabilities.
Take the Bus
Thanks to trip reporter and transit advocate K. Huntress Inskeep, we improved our Hiking Guide's transit directions, and offered tips on bussing to trailheads.
Better Online Tools
We’re always seeking more inclusive ways to share hiking info. This year, we made some website and app updates so more people can get the info they need to hike safely.
- Improved wta.org's online accessibility.
- Important information for wheelchair hikers added to 70 more hikes.
- Added an AQI (Air Quality Index) layer to the Hike Finder Map.
Maintaining Access on the Ground
In addition to creating a brand-new ADA-accessible trail at Suntop Lookout (above), crews maintained these wheelchair-friendly trails:
"My husband and I both have bad arthritis ... So even though we don't use a wheelchair we need easy, short trails with only small slopes and no stairs. I do use a cane. We like when there are benches. We can extend our distance that way. Nothing is better for our hearts and minds than getting out among plants and views. Animals are good too. I am very thankful for WTA and their trail guide. I am a member so I can search for short trails and save them." — Margaret Luke-Jones, WTA member
30 Years of Boots on the Ground
Our volunteer trail maintenance program has been training volunteers to put tools to dirt since Greg Ball pitched the idea to the Forest Service in 1993.
We've grown a lot since then. This year, WTA's trail maintenance crews did an astonishing $4.73 million dollars worth of trail maintenance on 300 trails.
There's still plenty to do, but major investments and partnerships have helped some pretty cool projects happen this year.
Lost Trails Found
After years in the Pasayten and Entiat, WTA's Lost Trails Found crews turned their attention to Highway 12 and the Schneider Springs Burn this year.
Facing a Future Marked by Fire, the Schneider Springs Response Could Prove a Model for Resilience
How one coordinated response to a 2021 fire in the William O Douglas Wilderness could contain the seeds for restoring and building a more climate-resilient backcountry trails system. | by Michael DeCramer
"...With LTF’s ongoing support, we can plan focused maintenance efforts, addressing issues like drainage issues, reinforcing structures, and maintaining proper trail clearing."
— Sam Zook, Entiat Ranger District Trails Coordinator, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Trails Rebooted
Intentional management of popular areas is crucial to their longevity. After years of work, we're excited to begin implementing two new plans with our partners.
We also built several new trails this year:
- Youth crews break ground on new trails in the Teanaway Community Forest
- Frog Mountain opens on Highway 2
Trails Next Door
Whether they were working outside of Woodinville, in Glendale, or down near Ridgefield (below), WTA crews brought their skills to trails right in your backyard this year.
From Mud to Magnificent: How WTA Helped Transform a Neighborhood Park
WTA, in partnership with other groups, helps transform the muddy trails in Whipple Creek Park into a neighborhood greenspace fit for year-round use by hikers, bikers, equestrians and more.
"I am really impressed with WTA and its volunteers. I love our working relationship and look forward to even more!"
— Ray Entz, Director of Wildlife & Terrestrial Resources for the Kalispel Tribe
"I learned how to be more in tune with my emotions and thoughts on that trip from our conversations, and that has impacted me to this day. I also like how WTA can build connections between people in Washington, and I can continue to volunteer with WTA throughout my life." — Youth program participant, 2023
Newsworthy Work
Whether they were covering our trail maintenance crews, our outdoor educators or highlighting our app as a must-have for hikers in Washington, here's a sample of what national, state and local media had to say.
Hiker News and Education
WTA and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife partner for trailhead ambassador program (Yakima Herald)
Silver Star Vision Plan charting the future of a popular hiking area (The Columbian)
Passport to the Northwest series with Carly Henderson introduces WTA's programming (Fox13)
WTA's MOBILE App
"Reliable, useful and fulfilling its mission to provide information for hikers and backpackers." —Angel Cruz via Android app review