WEEK 3: SILVER FALLS & OTHER OREGON GEMS

Hiking Trails of the Pacific Northwest, Virtual Book Tour!

Bart smith
author 3 (1)
Sullivan Head Shot 2016

Photographer Bart Smith, along with authors William Sullivan and Craig Romano led us through the PNW’s most special hiking experiences on November 22nd, but you can still take advantage of this special deal. Click the button below to & donate $75 or more to receive a copy of the book + a one year TKO membership!

Book + TKO Membership

Maintain our connections to Oregon’s scenic sites.

Waterfalls throughout our landscape are as iconic as the Douglas fir tree. We celebrate them with great fanfare as a quintessential outdoor highlight to be sought after, connected to and protected. Trails connecting to these scenic sites are in constant need of keepers to tend to their care.

Silver Falls State Park is the flagship of the Oregon State Parks system and a waterfall alley all on its own. We began forging our relationships with the trails and the rangers there in 2019 and we have come a long way! We began by building a cohort of volunteer leaders in the Willamette valley who have helped us to begin to steadily drum a beat of stewardship in the the region. TKO volunteers have come together on a variety of projects at Silver Falls including building a crib wall to shore up part of the Canyon Trail that was being eroded, installing gabions to correct trail erosion from drainage and even began work on a brand new trail! We hope to have this new trails completed for the park’s centennial celebration.

BY THE NUMBERS:

OREGON STATE PARKS

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Feet of Trails Improved

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Stewardship Events

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Volunteer Participants

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In Kind Value of Volunteer Time

SILVER FALLS

BUILDING TRUST & MORE CREW LEADERS

TKO has been a nonprofit for just over 12 years. We are Portland-based, but that is now changing and we are growing our geographic reach. Oregon State Parks has been a gateway for our growth, taking our strong partnerships with parks in the Portland/Gorge region and letting that trust spread to other parks. With strong relationships to precede us, stewardship growth can only happen through recruiting and training more volunteer leaders. The only reason we are able to start in at Silver Falls is because local leaders stepped up to the challenge and because of TKO’s strong relationships with park staff who are confident in our work. Help us impact even more trails in more State Parks, become a Legacy Builder today.

Book + TKO Membership
“I really enjoy the work and am very happy to give back to a park that offers so much and have used for many years. Silver Falls is always enjoyable no matter what season.”
– Art M., TKO Crew Leader at Silver Falls

Latest News

Trail Ambassadors are getting ready to launch!

By Loren Payne

Spring is quickly approaching! That means before we know it, Trailkeepers of Oregon will be kicking off another Trail Ambassador season. Through partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Tourism Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge, Trail Ambassadors will take to trails beginning April 22nd to engage with trail users across the state. We are always looking to grow our team – if you’ve been looking to give back to the trails you love, we want you on board!

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@ by Natalie Ferraro

Family Friendly Events are Back!

An adult holds a fern while a child uses lopper to cut it at the base.

Join TKO on the last Sunday of each month to learn all about trail stewardship!

By Natalie Ferraro

Trailkeepers is excited to once again be offering Family Friendly trail parties for 2023. These events are a chance for kids of all ages to learn some of the basics of trail stewardship, spend quality time with family and friends outdoors, and learn the value of taking care of a place they love. We think our Family Friendly trail parties are some of the best fun you can have on a Sunday, but you don’t have to take our world for it. We asked TKO volunteer Jon and his son Liam to share why they love volunteering with TKO. […]

@ by Natalie Ferraro

Safety, Fun, Service – becoming a TKO Crew Leader

A close up of two faces. One person wears a blue jacket and a yellow hat, the other wears a yellow jacket and an orange hat. They both have dirt on their faces and are smiling.

Being a Crew Leader with TKO is rewarding work and comes with a fun and supportive community that can’t wait to welcome you!

by Elaine Keavney and Loren Payne

So you’ve earned your green hat, and are getting “hooked” on trail stewardship.  As you get to know your crew leaders, do you find yourself wondering whether leading a crew would be something you would enjoy? Read on for some information about leading crews, and what you need to do if you would like to become a TKO crew leader!

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@ by Natalie Ferraro
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