WEEK 6

Welcoming & Accessibility

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Trails are for everyone

In 2024, Trailkeepers of Oregon undertook projects across the state to improve trail accessibility for hikers of all abilities.

  • At the Bird Alliance of Oregon wildlife sanctuary, just west of downtown Portland, TKO crews realigned trails to decrease their slope, while steering the alignment around two bridges that were difficult to traverse.
  • On the South Coast’s Gold Beach, TKO helped install mobility mats to improve beach access for wheelchair users.
  • At Camassia Nature Preserve, Trailkeepers replaced a bridge near the trailhead to improve access to the area’s trail network.
  • In partnership with the Willamette Valley Visitors Association, TKO helped gather and update hike descriptions for OregonHikers.org, so field guides offer the right information about what hikers can expect.

Join us for Week 7 to learn about these projects and plenty more, and consider a contribution to Trailkeepers of Oregon so we can continue projects like these in 2025!

Your Gift is Matched

Thanks to the generous team at Foghorn Labs, the first $7,000 of donations this week (12/16 – 12/22) will be matched, so your gift to trails will go twice as far!

Foghorn Labs is a digital marketing agency with a mission to elevate outdoor and active lifestyle brands, empowering them to make a lasting, positive impact on the natural world. With offices in Portland and Bend, our roots are deeply connected to the landscapes we cherish, and our passion for the outdoors drives everything we do. By partnering with brands that share our commitment, we aim to inspire more people to get outside and to protect our wild places for generations to come. As a proud 1% for the Planet company, we are honored to support Trailkeepers of Oregon, ensuring that trails and natural spaces endure, inviting everyone to explore, connect, and protect.

Choosing the Right Hike

Trailkeepers of Oregon and OregonHikers.org go all the way back: TKO began when hikers on the OregonHikers.org forum became interested in giving back to beloved trails in their area, coordinated an inaugural trail party, and later formalized as a nonprofit. Today, the forums and field guides owe their thoroughness to a huge network of passionate volunteers, with support from TKO staff and partners.

In 2024, TKO teamed up with the Willamette Valley Visitors Association to add more descriptive information to the Oregon Hikers field guide for hikes throughout the Willamette Valley. Volunteers and staff received training in evaluating the accessibility of trails, set off to collect data, then uploaded their findings. New information is now available for natural areas like Minto Brown, Hopkins Forest, Baskett Butte, and more.

Descriptive hike information allows hikers to make informed decisions about which hikes are right for them, empowering more folks to feel safe and welcome on Oregon’s trails.

If you enjoy using OregonHikers.org, please consider a donation to Trailkeepers of Oregon so we can continue supporting this valuable resource!

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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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@ by Steve Kruger

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! […]

@ by Steve Kruger
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.

[…]

@ by Steve Kruger
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