Washington Trails Association

Tips for Parking Like a Pro at Trailheads From parking efficiently in small lots to leaving room for emergency vehicles, there are lots of ways to park for the people.

Larch Madness is in full swing, and hikers hoping to see fall colors should expect busy trails and jammed parking lots.

Please park thoughtfully, respectfully, and be willing to find another place to hike if a parking lot is full this fall.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Celebrate with a mooncake on trail Mooncakes: the delightfully sweet, dense treat that folks eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Also, a great calorie-heavy snack for your hike!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Have a mooncake 🥮

Mooncakes: the delightfully sweet, dense treat that folks eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival. And for hikers, a great calorie-heavy snack for your next outing.

Hiker Headlines: Sunrise Road closing soon, last call for photo contest, Cascade River Road closure The Washington State Department of Transportation has recently narrowed possible future plans for the Fairfax Bridge to two options; WTA is working to support solutions that reopen access to this area of Mount Rainier. The Northwest Exposure Photo Contest closes soon! Sunrise Road is expected to close this weekend. Be aware of a few closures, including the end of Cascade River Road and the road near Multnomah Falls. And we have advice on hiking during the government shutdown.

Get this week's Hiker Headlines 📰

Updates on possible future plans for the Fairfax Bridge closure near #MountRainier, Sunrise Road is expected to close this weekend, WTA's Northwest Exposure #PhotoContest is coming to a close and more on this week's edition.

A Washington hiker’s guide to the 2025 federal shutdown As national parks, national forests and wildlife refuge operations shutdown and federal employees are furloughed, here's how hikers can still recreate responsibly across the state.

The federal #shutdown will have impacts on national #PublicLands and the people who care for them.

Here's what it means for #Washington trails and how you can help ⬇️

Guardians of the Wild: The Washington Trails Association — RV Out West We explore the vital role of the Washington Trails Association (WTA) in protecting and preserving public lands across Washington State. Our guest, Michael, the Policy and Planning Manager at WTA, sh...

Big thanks to RV Out West for sitting down with WTA's Policy and Planning Manager to discuss the importance of protecting and advocating for our national #PublicLands.

Get perspective on public lands and how you can support them on this episode 🌲

7 best trails to view whales from land Washington has some of the best land-based whale watching locations in the world. If you're lucky, you may be able to see a variety of cetaceans such as the highly endangered Southern Resident killer ...

Whale watching season is peaks mid spring through late summer, but it's possible to see #whales in Washington year round. Learn 7 of the best trails to view whales from land!

Orcas on calm blue water.

An orca calf in the distant water at sunset.

#Washington has some of the best land-based #WhaleWatching locations in the world. If you're lucky over the next few weeks, you might even spot killer whale (orca) calf: www.wta.org/go-outside/s... 🐳

📸 Orca calf photos by Victoria Obermeyer

Hiker Headlines: Discover Pass cost increasing; Blewett Pass, Lena Lake and more fire closures; free day The cost of an annual Discover Pass will increase from $30 to $45 on Oct. 1. Wildfires have closed Blewett Pass and some trails. This Saturday is National Public Lands Day, and parking fees will be wa...

The cost of an annual Discover Pass will increase from $30 to $45 on Oct. 1. Learn about this change, fee-free lands this Saturday, wildfire updates and more on this week's Hiker Headlines.

Nosotros En Naturaleza is building community on trail Nosotros en Naturaleza, a partner of WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training program, is helping young adults in the Latinx community connect to each other and to the outdoors.

Nosotros En Naturaleza is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting and empowering underserved youth in South King County to the majesty of Washington’s outdoors. In 2024 alone, they led 13 hiking trips with LatinX young adults.

Learn how they're getting outside with some help from WTA 🌲

From St. Helens to the Gorge, WTA is bringing new and improved trails to Southwest Washington In collaboration with hundreds of local volunteers, partner organizations and public lands staff, WTA is hard at work building and improving trails from residential Vancouver to the Mount St. Helens b...

If you hike in Southwest WA, chances are you’ve hiked trails WTA has maintained. With a volunteer community hundreds strong, we’re hard at work building, improving & advocating for trails.

Check out this good news for trails & find out how to suport this work by giving early for #GiveMore24! ⬇️

Fall Hikes

Happy autumnal equinox! With the changing of the season comes cooler temperatures and a brilliant fall colors 🍂

Also, the big dark is coming. But we still have a while to enjoy some of the best weeks of hiking Washington has to offer. Come prepared for the seasonal challenges fall presents:

Northwest Exposure 2025: Random acts of kindness We want to see it all! From your random good deeds to the litter pick-up parties, we want to celebrate with you and with our community the amazing unseen (until NOW) good work from trail users all ove...

Need some inspiration for this year’s Northwest Exposure bonus category, Random Acts of Kindness? Look no further! 👀⁠
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Get some inspiration for your entries and don't forget to submit your images before the contest ends on October 6!⁠

Lake 22 closed this weekend, High Rock closure extended, no water at Paradise The Lake 22 trail will be closed this weekend, and the High Rock closure has been extended. There's no running water at Paradise. There's one more day to speak up for the Roadless Rule. And join WTA a...

Stay informed on major closures this weekend (including Lake 22), actions you can take to help trails and upcoming community events all in this weeks Hiker Headlines.

We're just days away from our next Hiker Happy Hour in Washougal! We'll share about what's coming up for trails in the area and how you can get involved.

Tickets are only $20 and will include a drink, appetizers AND an annual WTA membership!

give.wta.org/event/hiker-...

Today is National #VoterRegistration Day! As people who love the outdoors, voting at the federal, state and local levels is one of the most effective ways we can speak up for trails 🏔️
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Register to vote or update your voter registration today:

Fireside and Leadership Circle The Fireside Circle honors WTA members who contribute $500 or more annually to Washington Trails Association, and the Leadership Circle recognizes those who donate $5,000 or more per year. Thanks to t...

WTA's Fireside Circle honors WTA members who contribute $500 or more annually. These members impact Washington’s trails by helping power essential trail work, youth programs and advocacy to support the future of trails.

Find out how you can make an even bigger impact for the trails you love:
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These trails rule! 16 spectacular hikes in Roadless areas across Washington Since 2001, the Roadless Rule has protected some spectacular trails in national forest land across Washington (and the country) from logging and mining. Sample some of what these special places have t...

Since 2001, the Roadless Rule has protected trails in forest land across WA (and the country) from logging & mining. The rule protects 1/3 of our national forests, 58 million acres, including 43,826 miles of trail nationwide!

📸 by trip reporters Jaimeeee, mcblain, DaphneF, Eric Katanaboy & JKNapper

"May trails be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out." – Lady Galadriel ⁠
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Just because we’re past Labor Day doesn’t mean that hiking season is over. Find hikes, read trip reports and learn the latest about trails statewide at wta.org⁠

Join us for Hiker Happy Hour at 54-40 Brewing Co in Washougal on Sep 25. We can't wait to share about what's coming up for trails in the area and ways you can get involved.

You can get your ticket (which includes a WTA membership) here today: give.wta.org/.../hiker-ha...

Hiker Headlines: Speak up against Roadless Rule repeal, Naches Peak Loop, Ingalls Creek and more fire closures; Speak up for the Roadless Rule, which protects 45 million acres of our national forests, as the federal government plans to repeal it. Submit your photos to WTA’s annual Northwest Exposure Photo Conte...

Get your hiking news!

Help protect the #RoadlessRule, submit your photos to WTA's annual Northwest Exposure #PhotoContest, learn about the latest fires statewide and more on this week's Hiker Headlines.

Northwest Exposure Photo Contest Enter WTA's Northwest Exposure Photo Contest, Washington Trails Association's annual celebration of outdoor photography and the community of hikers that explore Washington's trails.

📸 We're officially halfway through our Northwest Exposure Photo Contest 📸⁠
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Time sure does fly 🕒️ Enter your photo by October 6 to support your favorite trails! We can’t wait to see what you share with us.

45 million acres of forest and 25,000 miles of trail at stake Speak up today to save the Roadless Rule

Here’s how to take action 👇🏼⁠
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🌲 visit wta.quorum.us/campaign/138...
🌲 send your message to protect the Roadless Rule⁠
🌲 sign up for WTA’s Trail Action Network to stay updated on the latest changes in public lands⁠
🌲 share with your trails community⁠

45 million acres of national forest and 25,000 miles of trail could lose protection For the past generation, one-third of our national forests, and more than 25,000 miles of trails, have been protected from development by the Roadless Rule. Now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture wan...

🏔️🌲 PROTECT THE ROADLESS RULE 🏔️🌲 ⁠
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The #RoadlessRule has protected one-third of our #NationalForests for a generation. It provides sanctuary to our old-growth forests, waterways, and some of our most beloved outdoor destinations from road construction, logging and mining.⁠

#NonProfit #Advocacy

Great tips, especially to re-roll your tape!

How to build a hiker's first aid kit A first aid kit is an essential part of your hiking equipment. Prepackaged kits contain much of what you need, at a reasonable price. But you should consider supplementing those kits with personal med...

Do you hike with a first aid kit? And if you do, have you taken inventory of it lately?

#FirstAid is essential, and each person's kit should be bespoke to their party and hiking plans. What items would you recommend in addition to the linked checklist? ⚕️

Hiker Headlines: 🔥, 🔥 and more 🔥 Wildfires are burning across the state, closing trails and roads, and the air quality is down. And Tribal leaders from Washington will lead a campaign across the Pacific Northwest to rally against a p...

Air quality is down across much of #Washington due to ongoing and new #wildfires. In other words: 🔥🔥🔥

Learn about the latest fires, plus more info about campaigns against the #RoadlessRule repeal, on this week's Hiker Headlines.

Hikes Within 30 Minutes of Vancouver From stunning views and the cascading waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge to wide-open reaches of grasslands and marshes, Vancouver and Portland couldn't be more perfectly situated for reaching som...

From stunning views of the #ColumbiaRiverGorge, to wide-open grasslands and marshes, #Vancouver and #Portland couldn’t be more perfectly placed for reaching some incredible #Washington trails.

The best part: all of these trails are (roughly) a 30-minute drive from Vancouver 🥾

How to Drive on Forest Roads You don’t have to drive forest roads to hike in Washington, but with terrific trails to visit on seven national forests, you probably will at some point. Here are a few tips to help you navigate these...

Love to #hike, but can’t stand driving on forest roads?

Here are a few tips to help you navigate these potentially tricky roads 🚗

Back to School with WTA: A Guide for Busy Educators Planning Outdoor Adventures Want to create outdoor experiences for youth this year? Get trip planning tips, resources and opportunities for the 2025 to 2026 school year.

Educators and youth group facilitators: Want to create outdoor experiences for youth this year? =

Get trip planning tips, resources and opportunities for the 2025 to 2026 school year with WTA's Outdoor Leadership Program 📚️

A pika is round like a potato.

A pika has a flower in its mouth.

A pika lets out a big yawn (or scream?)

Which pika do you identify with after a fun Labor Day Weekend? Drop an emoji in the thread to let us know 👇🏼

😴 Sleepy pika
🥗 Munchy pika
🥔 Potato pika

Whether your weekend was full of rest of full of hiking, we hope it was a good one!

📸 Photos by Dylan Hsu, Mary Campbell and Elston Hill