Action for Trails

Washington Trails Association speaks out for hiking trails on your behalf. Elected officials and agency leaders make decisions that affect Northwest hikers all the time - through budgeting, wilderness policies, land use decisions and more.  WTA works with decision-makers to advance the interests of hikers when these issues are being decided.

Through collaborative partnerships, lobbying and grassroots advocacy, we work for trail funding, access, wilderness protection and more.  From the Forest Service deciding which trails to maintain in a given season, to Congress deciding how much money to allocate for trail maintenance, WTA is there to ensure that hikers have a voice in the process.

Gnome Tarn in the Enchantments. By Shahid Durrani

Current Issues

Washington Trails Association is currently involved in ten issues that affect hikers in the state.  Read an overview, or go directly to the issue that you're most interested in.

How You Can Help

Washington Trails Association's voice is stronger when people like you weigh in with your elected officials and land management agencies. 

The best way to stay in the loop on these issues is to Join the Trail Action Network, WTA's e-mail action alert system and to check back for events and meetings that may interest you.

Educating the Public

We combine our advocacy efforts with public education. Our Endangered Trails Guide highlights many of the challenges facing trails today, including a lack of maintenance, resource extraction and overuse.  Several of our Wildland Discovery Hikes take interested hikers out beautiful places in Washington that are threatened and need your help.

For more information on WTA's advocacy efforts, or to get involved, please contact Jonathan Guzzo at (206) 625-1367 or jonathan@wta.org.