Profiles, Interviews & Perspectives

Landscapes of Love: Stitching Our Stories into Wild Places

Feb 14, 2018

When we make our memories on trails and in wild places, they take on a kind of permanence and heft, long after we’ve packed up our tents and gone.

Go Camping with your Family this Winter

Feb 02, 2018

Winter and early spring are a great time to go camping with your family. Here's why, and some tips on how to do it.

How 3 Unique Volunteers Help Fuel WTA

Jan 22, 2018

Meet three volunteers who are helping out across the organization, and learn how they're making a difference for Washington's trails.

Meet the Trail Community: Wildland Firefighter

Dec 18, 2017

As a helitack manager, Chris O'Brien spends much of his time managing fire and looking at trails from the air. But when he can, he heads out to volunteer, or simply take a short walk on trails near his winter home in Olympia.

Meet the Trail Community: Mountain Biker

Dec 01, 2017

Mountain biker Melissa MacKelvie wants everyone to find their connection to nature. It's empowering, and builds the community of people who care deeply about trails.

Enjoy Nature Anywhere: Find Feelings of Wilderness Close to Town

Oct 16, 2017

It can feel like a challenge to connect with nature and capture the sense of solituide close to town—but it’s not impossible. A few tips to find that wild feeling.

Meet the Trail Community: First Generation Hiker

Sep 21, 2017

Meet a woman who is the first in her family to go hiking, and learn what inspired her to start.

Volunteer Spotlight: Maridee BonaDea

Aug 18, 2017

Meet Maridee—recently retired and heading to Bangkok to pursue her Master's degree, she wanted to spend a little time volunteering with WTA before heading out.

Bree Loewen: 20 Years in Search and Rescue

Jul 20, 2017

Meet Bree, a 20-year vet of search-and-rescue and author of Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue.

Hiking with New Eyes: A First-Timer's Experience on a BCRT

Jul 13, 2017

Amy Redmond was inspired by her friend and assistant crew leader, Joni Johnson to try out a BCRT. Here's her telling of the experience out on the Olympic Peninsula.

Father's Day: Life Lessons from Time on the Trail with Dad

Jun 16, 2017

From how to start a fire to developing a sense of wonder, outdoor fathers have a lot to give.

Recipes and Tips for Allergic Hikers

Jun 06, 2017

Got an allergy-prone little one? You'll want to read Sarah Kirkconnell's tips and recipes for keeping them healthy and happy on trail.

Hiking With Kids: It's All About the Cupcakes

May 12, 2017

A hiking-obsessed mom gets her reluctant 6-year-old out on trail. And, amazingly, everyone has fun.

Volunteer Spotlight: Carmen Zavala

Mar 06, 2017

Meet Carmen Zavala -- a recently-settled Seattle resident who wanted to learn more about where trail comes from and who takes care of them.

What Inspires You to Care for Trails?

Feb 27, 2017

Caring for trails and wild places for the next generation is important, but why wait? Let's care for those places right now and enjoy them now, too.

Advice From a Pro: Keep Your Kids (and Yourself) Comfortable on Trail

Feb 07, 2017

Käryn Gaffney, Branch Ambassador for the Seattle chapter of Hike It Baby, shares what sorts of tips or gear she packs when she hits the trail with her two-year-old.

Youth Ambassador Spotlight: Julianna Hoza

Feb 03, 2017

Learn how this Youth Ambassador has been making big waves in her local hiking community.

The Outdoors Needs Us -- ALL of Us

Jan 10, 2017

If we want to protect are natural places, particularly our national parks, well into the future, we must find a way to reach our increasingly diverse society.

Meet the Trail Community: Birder

Jan 09, 2017

Learn how one birder went from novice to manager of a monthly bird count in a now-lush Seattle park.

Meet the Trail Community: Gear Designer

Dec 28, 2016

Gear designers help you get out with the best equipment. Meet a product developer with Atlas Snowshoes whose connection to trails runs deep.

12 Inspiring Trip Reports from 2016

Dec 22, 2016

We find inspiration from trip reporters all year long. They help us discover new wonders and revisit our old favorites. Here are 12 trip reports that kept us inspired in 2016.

Upcycle DIY: Plastic Bag to Stuff Sack

Dec 06, 2016

Try this fun project with your kids! Use cracker, cereal, or candy bags and some old shoelaces to create bags that are great for hiking excursions.

Russian Ecotourism Project Learns from WTA's Model

Nov 01, 2016

This summer, volunteers from Russia participated in a work party on the Slab Camp trail. They did so as part of a Sustainable Travel Group dedicated to learning about more sustainable trail practices.

Meet the Trail Community: Volunteer

Oct 31, 2016

Three years ago, Bev Stoll joined her first work party at Mount Walker. Now, with 95 days of volunteer trail work under her boots, we ask her what she thinks is the future of volunteers on trails.

Meet the Trail Community: Bow Hunter

Oct 20, 2016

Gregg Bafundo hunts and forages on trails near his home in Tonasket. Read how he uses trails to participate more fully in the natural world.

Highlights from Washington State Trails Conference

Oct 19, 2016

The 2016 Trails Conference was abuzz with talk of transit and tech, as well as engaging the next generation.

Meet the Trail Community: Girl Scouts

Oct 10, 2016

The Girl Scouts empower young women to become people of courage, confidence and character. Anishka Kanjilal and Elena Boyle are two such girls, learning about the importance of nature, trails, and our place in the world.

Meet the Trail Community: Environmental Educator

Oct 05, 2016

Khavin Debbs has loved being in nature since he was a boy. Now, as an educator with Seattle-based outdoor preschool Tiny Trees, he's helping spark that love in the next generation.

The Wonderland Trail: Mission Accomplished

Sep 29, 2016

After 10 years, a family of five achieves their goal of completing Mount Rainier’s Wonderland Trail together.

A Family Quest to the Hike 7 Trails Built by WTA in the Southwest

Sep 15, 2016

Ryan Ojerio, WTA's Southwest Regional Manager, set out with his kids to hike the 7 new trails built by WTA volunteers in one month. Here's their story.