SPRING CAMPAIGN

– Trail Ambassadors –

Safe and welcoming outdoor spaces.

When people have a safe and welcoming experience on the trail, they get excited to return and continue building their relationship to that place, which in turn gets them excited about helping to take care of it. TKO’s Trail Ambassadors provide people with the tools, information and resources they need to do build relationships with outdoor spaces and provide opportunities for trail users to give back. 

At the heart of TKO’s Ambassador program is the belief that trails are for everyone. Ambassadors enjoy talking to others about trails and are an outgoing and friendly presence on many trails throughout the Gorge, Mt Hood and the North Coast. These volunteers are enthusiastic folks who love to get to know a place inside and out. From ongoing trail projects to trail closures, TKO’s Ambassadors are intimate experts on the areas they serve.

It’s springtime and TKO’s Trail Ambassadors are getting ready to head out on trails across the region…  

but they need YOUR support!

We are sweetening the deal for those who give back to Oregon’s trails this month.

Thanks to our friends at Pickathon, we’ve got a few sets of weekend passes to give away, and the more you donate the more chances you have to win!

Over the month of April, if you give $250 or more in total donations to TKO, you will also be entered to win a Pickathon VIP Backstage weekend pass.

Each week in April, we will host a new raffle for another pair of weekend passes, so if you dont win one week, you can always enter again!

Curious about becoming an Ambassador yourself? Check out the online training!

Trail Ambassador Training

Wilderness Ambassadors

WHAT ARE WILDERNESS AMBASSADORS?

Wilderness Ambassadors are a special type of volunteer. Experts at public engagement and education, these adventurous folks head out on some of the most beloved wilderness trails on Mt Hood and in the Columbia River Gorge to share Leave No Trace principles, hiking etiquette, and trail stewardship with trail users. These volunteers also gather data on physical and social trail conditions, perform some lights stewardship projects, and help to train new Wilderness Ambassadors as they enter the program.

This program is new to TKO this year and these volunteers need equipment and training supplies. You can help them out by giving today!

Support TKO Ambassadors

Latest News

You person with a hiking pack walks along a steep mountain trail with large white flowers along the hillside and scenic views.

ACTION ALERT: Forest Service cuts to seasonal staffing will hurt trails and recreational access

This post comes with big thanks to our friends at Washington Trails Association who invited us to borrow heavily from their similar action alert! We invite you to scan the similarities and differences between Oregon and Washington in WTA’s article with a carbon copy for Oregon that we created below. 

If you hike in Oregon, odds are excellent that you’ve enjoyed trails on U.S. Forest Service land. About 39% of Oregon (yes, that’s over 14 million acres of the state) is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. National forests contain some of the most iconic landscapes, popular campgrounds and beloved hiking trails in the state. Encircle Mt. Hood on the Timberline trail, hike along a National Scenic Trail like the Deschutes River trail, visit the Oregon Dunes along the coast, or backpack in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and you are enjoying some of the over 15,000 miles of national forest trails in Oregon.

You person with a hiking pack walks along a steep mountain trail with large white flowers along the hillside and scenic views.

Millions of visitors spread out in Oregon’s 14 million acres of Forest Service lands and 15,000 miles of trails. Photo by TKO volunteer leader Neil Cadsawan

A funding crisis is putting Forest Service trails, campgrounds and other types of outdoor recreation at risk. The U.S. Forest Service is currently making major cuts to its workforce that will reduce its ability to maintain trails, clean trailhead restrooms, collect trash and provide essential services. 

BUDGET CRISIS WILL CUT JOBS AND REDUCE SERVICES

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Wildfire Resilience, Shellburg Falls Reopens in the Santiam State Forest

Among the many communities, natural landscapes, and hiking trails that were set ablaze in the historic 2020 Labor Day Wildfires, the Beachie Creek fire swept across Shellburg Falls Recreation Area in the Santiam State Forest southeast of Salem. Once the smoke cleared, TKO was called upon to help! […]

A large group of TKO Trail Ambassadors stand in front of a waterfall. The image is overlaid by the TKO logo.

2024 Trail Ambassadors Foster a Welcoming and Accessible Outdoors

Trails have amazing potential to bring people of all backgrounds and abilities into the outdoors, yet gaps in information prevent many from doing so. That’s where TKO Trail Ambassadors come in! These volunteers help to create a welcoming environment on Oregon’s trails by offering a friendly presence to answer questions, providing maps and other information, and recommending local businesses and attractions. Looking back on the 2024 season, it’s easy to see the positive impact their passion and dedication had on Oregon’s trails and trail users.

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