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!

Like its neighbor Silver Falls State Park (but much smaller), Shellburg Falls is known for the same —one 100 feet tall and the other 40 feet— and a modest network of trails that wound through deep forest and over footbridges. Thanks to untold hours of trail restoration (okay, yes we keep track of our volunteer hours) and sophisticated bridge construction by Trailkeepers of Oregon volunteers, the park is again welcoming visitors to this recovering fire-scarred landscape. 

In the first year after the fire, the Oregon Department of Forestry began removing hazard trees, and TKO was approached by Northwest Youth Corps to assign TKO-managed interns to scout the conditions. A three-person team of interns reported the severity of damage across 24+ miles of trails in the Santiam State Forest that is divided into several large blocks of land and numerous smaller parcels. The TKO interns addressed immediate safety concerns so that volunteers could follow them up and do the painstaking trail restoration necessary to welcome the public back again.

Volunteers cleared the slurry of rock and rubble and they battled brushy trail corridors at the closed site, “but the vegetation would just immediately grow back because there were no hiking boots on the ground” to help keep the trails brush-free, said Nelson Kline, a Salem-area volunteer crew leader with TKO. Nelson watched with disappointment as the cycle repeated itself over a couple of years, the open canopy accelerated the carpet of vegetation and covered TKO’s progress. With critical resource protection and necessary water crossings needing new footbridges to be built, TKO brought new energy to the site’s restoration.

By fall 2023 the Oregon Department of Forestry recognized that without new footbridges, the park and its trail system couldn’t be reopened. ODF had bought two “bridge kits”: stacks of glulam stringers and other materials. But the two 30-foot span bridges and their approaches still needed to be designed and built.

So TKO Executive Director Steve Kruger enlisted Tom Brauner, a newly minted volunteer TKO crew leader and retired mechanical engineer, to lead the bridge project. The initial challenge was simply finding the first bridge site: with so much brush—salmonberry brambles 8 feet tall—“we couldn’t even tell if there was a creek in there,” Tom said. He custom-welded a tripod to move materials around with a highline. At least the first bridge was accessible by vehicles. “We weren’t so lucky on the second one,” he said: it was deep in a ravine, so stringers and even gravel had to be lowered by cable.  Despite those challenges, Tom said, “The second one went a lot faster because we already had a trained crew.” Both bridges began with construction of gabions—wire-enclosed containers of rock—for the approaches at either end. In addition to bridge work, TKO volunteers removed fallen trees, brushed trails, installed drainage features, built new trail and recontoured eroding tread at more than two dozen trail parties, led in part by Tom, Nelson, and Art Mills, another Salem-area TKO crew leader. They even took on the significant task of rebuilding the trailhead parking area.

On May 17, 2024, three and a half years after the fire, Shellburg Falls reopened to the public. By then TKO volunteers had put in 875 hours to make the site ready for recreation—not including hundreds more hours Tom, Nelson, and Art have volunteered (and continue to volunteer) on their own.

If you remember Shellburg Falls from before the fire, you’ll find some things changed. There is no longer a campground. Hikers are no longer allowed to walk behind Shellburg Falls. Access has also changed; the route to the trailhead now follows a longer, rougher road. See details on TKO’s OregonHikers.org Field Guide page.

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.

It’s no question that Oregon is fortunate to have countless spectacular natural spaces – and from the Pacific ocean to the Alvord Desert, it’s trails that get us there. These trails come with all sorts of quirks and challenges, and the responsibility to know the ins and outs of a recreation destination often falls to the trail user. But it’s a tall task to get to know every trail AND all the associated passes and permits, and not everyone has a friend or family member to show them the ropes. The Trail Ambassador program is working to close this gap and empower trail users to adventure safely and confidently by hosting trailhead stations and hiking Wilderness trails at some of the most popular and scenic recreation sites in the state. As more and more people have been venturing outside since 2020, the demand for Trail Ambassadors has grown immensely.

In our 2024 season alone, Trail Ambassadors helped 11,234 (and counting!) trail users enjoy their adventures while respecting our natural spaces – if you were to do that solo, you would need to talk with 31 people a day every single day for a YEAR. To achieve our goals of reaching more trail users and further protecting our natural areas in 2025, we need the support of our entire community!

Trailhead Ambassadors, the volunteers who host trailhead welcome tables, are often the only real-time resource for trail users, and are key to helping folks start their adventures off on the right foot (then left, then right, then left…) Often lovers of the area, they boost local economies by recommending small businesses for visitors to check out, and share fun facts about the native flora and fauna. One Trailhead Ambassador volunteer, Jennifer, recalls her start in the program: “Soon, I was proudly representing TKO at the trailheads at Wahclella and Latourell Falls; two of my favorites…from imparting information about the trail, to sharing my passion for the area, it is a day well spent. [One] person to whom I lent trekking poles thanked me profusely and handed me an envelope fashioned from a slip of paper which contained a cash donation to TKO. The thanks and appreciation I receive from hikers mirrors my admiration for the trailkeepers who are doing the trail work.  As a Trail Ambassador, I found my way of giving back to the trails I love.”

Their counterparts, Wilderness Ambassadors, delve into the world of backcountry recreation. These adventurous folks head out on some of the most beloved Wilderness trails on Mount Hood, in the Columbia River Gorge, and in the Drift Creek Wilderness on the central coast. Throughout 2024, Wilderness Ambassadors volunteered 371 hours to engaging with trail users, improving trail conditions by removing trash and rehabbing inappropriate campsites and fire rings, and collecting trail data critical to informing future trail projects.

With these efforts, they help maintain the health and beauty of natural areas and support trail users while doing what they love – getting out on Oregon’s trails. Wilderness Ambassador duo Ann and Wayne D. were spurred to give back as Ambassadors after noticing growing amounts of trash in natural areas while hiking and camping: “We started picking [trash] up. Seeing trees, waterfalls, mountains, birds, insects, plants, and animals is exciting to us. While on the trails, we are guests in their home. Connecting and sharing with others the principles of Leave No Trace is important for protecting outdoor spaces. As Wilderness Ambassadors, we get to hike on some awesome trails, view some great scenery, meet like-minded people, and share with others the value of keeping natural areas as pristine as possible. We are proud to be part of the Trailkeepers of Oregon organization.”

Through protecting our precious natural spaces at the trails where the majority of people access them and promoting a more welcoming, respectful hiking experience, Trail Ambassadors are serving the interests of ALL of us who live, work, and play in Oregon. Knowing this, we have ambitious goals to continue to support Oregon’s trails and trail users in the 2025 season and beyond, and we need your help! You can support TKO’s Trail Ambassador program by contributing to our Legacy Builders community fundraising campaign between now and December 31st. Every penny donated and every effort to spread the word makes a difference. Thank you for being a Trailkeeper. Together we’re building a legacy of resilience, joy, and sustainability for Oregon’s trails!

Dear Trailkeepers,

I hope this letter finds you well, with some time recently spent outside, soaking in the beauty of Oregon’s scenic landscapes. As fall settles in, I find myself reflecting on the past year—both personally and in the context of our work at Trailkeepers of Oregon. For me, it has been a year of profound change and challenge.

Earlier this year, I lost my father to lung cancer, just three months after his diagnosis. As you can imagine, it was a shock and a difficult time for my family and me. Along with my mom and three older sisters, my 81-year old dad influenced so much of my life, instilling in me core values that have shaped the man I am today—values that guide me in my work with TKO.

Goodness, service to others, and quality craftsmanship are things that my dad always got excited about when it came to TKO. A Navy veteran and a fine woodworker in his retirement, he always appreciated how community members stepped up and, in particular, loved seeing photos from our more technical projects. One project in particular that I shared about came to completion during his illness: TKO’s efforts, over the last year, to help reopen Shellburg Falls.

TKO is still piecing together our capacity in the Willamette Valley region, and yours truly had to dust off my ranger boots to support. Amazing TKO crew leaders in the region had the expertise, but not all the time and energy to work through land manager approvals and recruit community members to join them. I don’t get to put on a hard hat and join a trail party as often as I like, but it was necessary for the bridge-building trail parties at Shellburg Falls, a beloved natural area near Salem that was impacted by the historic 2020 Labor Day fires. But as nature begins to heal, we step in to help rebuild. I’ll never forget watching a team of volunteers carefully rig a 30-foot glulam stringer across Shellburg Creek, restoring hikers’ connection to the waterfall, a natural and scenic site in the Santiam Canyon. The park reopened in May after a nearly four-year closure. The restorative power at work in these woods and compassionate volunteers were doing their part in me, as I came to grips with losing my dad.

While the speed of my dad’s departure was too quick, I was fortunate in having time to say goodbye. I was able to make a number of trips over the spring and almost daily video calls in his final days. The day before his passing, I gave him a call. My mom tried to wake him, and while it seemed he was too sleepy, he heard my voice, grabbed the phone, and said, “Hi honey, how are you?” nearly as clear as ever. I did most of the talking, rambling on about life, my 8-year-old son’s endeavors, and things happening at TKO. I remember specifically sharing about a successful proposal I had just made at the State Forests Trust of Oregon to work on a trail extension of the Wilson River Trail. “Good show!” my dad said, sounding like his old self. That familiar phrase was his way of letting me know that he was proud of me and that he wanted me to keep it up. Along with a goodbye and “I love you,” those were the last words I heard from my dad. He passed away the next morning.

He has always been proud of our accomplishments since I joined TKO as its first paid staff member in 2017. Now, just over seven years later, we continue to increase our statewide presence. The Krugers from Wisconsin are annual donors to TKO. They have seen the impact of wildfires on the landscapes we aim to protect. Yet, with resilience, thoughtful planning, and the commitment of people like them and you, we’re managing to build new trails, reopen lost and damaged trails, and keep people like you engaged in caring for their public lands while growing new skills and creating community.

As we move into 2025, we face new challenges and new opportunities. The Forest Service’s budget crisis has placed increasing pressure on organizations like ours to step in and fill critical gaps. We’re committed to doing our part, but this requires strategic planning and scalable growth. 

In total, the volunteer hours donated to our efforts over the past year represent more than $800,000 of in-kind service—a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the power of community support. Your contribution, no matter the size, directly supports these volunteers and the essential work they do to keep Oregon’s trails open and safe. As my dad, Jerry Ray Kruger, would say, “Good show!” 

Whether through your time or financial support, you are a crucial part of our community, and we couldn’t do this work without you. Let’s keep on keeping Oregon’s trails. Thank you for your ongoing generosity and support. Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient Oregon.

Happy trails,

Steve Kruger

TKO Executive Director

P.S. 2024 TKO Legacy Builders End of Year Giving Campaign is underway. Stay tuned for ways to be inspired to donate each week November 4th – December 31st!