Washington Trails Association

Washington Trails Association is the voice for hikers in Washington. WTA protects hiking trails and wildlands, takes volunteers out to maintain our trails, and promotes hiking as a fun and healthy way for people to explore the outdoors.

Trails provide us with a link to the natural world, whether they’re in our backyard or in the wilderness. Here in Washington, we’re fortunate to have many that could be considered both. Yet without regular maintenance and repair, there’s no guarantee that our trails will be there for future generations to explore.                

With a simple formula of "be safe, have fun, and get good work done," WTA has built one of the nation's most successful volunteer trail maintenance programs. Adult and youth volunteers contribute 100,000 hours annually to keep trails open to the public and safe for the environment. Since 1993, WTA has contributed more than $12 million in donated labor to Washington's parks and forests.          

WTA also speaks up for hikers to ensure that our wild places, and the trails that take us there, will be protected for future generations. Through collaborative partnerships, lobbying, and grassroots advocacy, WTA focuses on state and federal issues like trail funding, hiker safety, and wilderness protection. When the state legislature is looking for a way to keep our state recreation lands open in the face of a budget crisis, WTA is there.           

WTA's programs are based on the proven idea that getting people outside and exploring trails can inspire them to become environmental stewards. As the state's leading hiking resource, WTA serves over 1.2 million people annually through a website (www.wta.org), the bi-monthly Washington Trails magazine, and community events across the state.