What the Forest Service Trails Crisis Means for TKO
Read full post >: What the Forest Service Trails Crisis Means for TKOClosing a challenging year, TKO’s Executive Director Steve Kruger shares a critical report from the U.S. Forest Service.
Blog Series, Trailkeepers High-Fives: Thanking the hands and hearts behind Oregon’s trails
Read full post >: Blog Series, Trailkeepers High-Fives: Thanking the hands and hearts behind Oregon’s trailsBlog Series, Trailkeepers High-Fives: Thanking the hands and hearts behind Oregon’s trails. Subject: Federal Agency Staff
TKO on the Trail: Reflections from the 2025 Oregon Trails Coalition Summit in Pendleton
Read full post >: TKO on the Trail: Reflections from the 2025 Oregon Trails Coalition Summit in PendletonTrailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) was proud to join partners from across the state for the 2025 Oregon Trails Coalition (OTC) Summit in Pendleton. As a sponsor, planning partner, and session leader, our staff, board, and lead volunteers helped shape an inspiring few days that celebrated collaboration, learning, and the shared stewardship of Oregon’s trails.
TKO Update 10/14/2025: When the Rules Change, Volunteer Stewardship During a Federal Shutdown
Read full post >: TKO Update 10/14/2025: When the Rules Change, Volunteer Stewardship During a Federal ShutdownTrailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) shares an update on the 2025 federal shutdown and new Forest Service guidance that allows certain volunteer trail work to continue — a first in TKO’s partnership history with the Forest Service. Learn how this confusing moment is also an opportunity for shared stewardship.
Update on potential federal shutdown
Read full post >: Update on potential federal shutdown10/1/2025 Update: We are taking a conservative, safety-first approach and following our shutdown plan: • TKO activities on Federal lands are considered “non-essential” and will pause during the shutdown. •. Every 2 days to 1 week, staff and leads will cancel or reschedule Federal trail parties and Ambassador activities. •. We’ll pivot to non-Federal projects (Oregon State Parks, local lands, etc.) and redirect volunteers accordingly. Message from Steve Kruger, Executive Director, Trailkeepers of Oregon Reflecting on the potential federal government shutdown, my mind turns immediately to the people behind our public lands: the dedicated agency staff. While most people see…
An Unprecedented Sell-Off: 250 Million Acres of Public Land at Risk
Read full post >: An Unprecedented Sell-Off: 250 Million Acres of Public Land at RiskMore than 21 million acres in Oregon could be sold For generations, Americans have understood public lands as a shared inheritance—guided by a conservation ethic dating back to President Theodore Roosevelt’s protection of national forests, parks, and monuments. But a new proposal in Congress would undo much of that legacy. A provision in the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee’s budget reconciliation bill mandates the sale of 2 to 3 million acres of public land over just five years to offset tax cuts. These are lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management—places where we hike,…
Volunteer Spotlight: Hope McKee
Read full post >: Volunteer Spotlight: Hope McKeeFor Hope McKee, trail work started with an invitation from a friend.“A friend signed up for a trail party after the Eagle Creek Fire and asked if I wanted to join her. She said it sounded like something I’d enjoy—and she was right.” Since that first day, Hope has become a familiar and welcoming face on the trails with TKO, leading crews twice a week and helping steward some of Oregon’s most beloved places. “What kept me coming back honestly was the people,” Hope says. “Everyone was so kind and welcoming. Being in the woods has always been my happy…
Volunteer Spotlight: Kai Lewis
Read full post >: Volunteer Spotlight: Kai LewisWhen Kai Lewis came across a social media post about Trailkeepers of Oregon, something clicked. “I had never heard of TKO, but I instantly loved the idea. I signed up and was at my first trail party two days later.” At the time, Kai was looking for connection. “I wanted to meet new people and give back to the trails I love,” they said. “I had become quite isolated and had a feeling I’d fit in at a TKO trail party.” That instinct proved right—trail work quickly became both a passion and a path toward community. “I keep coming back…
Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Campbell
Read full post >: Volunteer Spotlight: Karen CampbellMy name is Karen. I am originally from Scotland, but lived for a while in England and California, before moving to Oregon in 2020. I was introduced to Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) by my husband, Neil. Neil is a trail runner, and for some of the longer races there is an entry requirement that you have to do a set number of volunteer trailwork hours before you can run the race. While we lived in California, Neil volunteered with a group called the Trail Center to get his hours, then kept going back because he enjoyed it. At that point,…
Enhanced Bus Service now helps Oregon Coast Trail hikers avoid highway shoulder walking
Read full post >: Enhanced Bus Service now helps Oregon Coast Trail hikers avoid highway shoulder walkingThe increasingly popular 400-mile-long Oregon Coast Trail relies on a combination of public beaches, forest trails, water taxis, and backroads to take hikers from the Columbia River to the California border. Seaside cliffs and stretches of private land still require hikers to walk along the shoulder of US 101 in several stretches. But recent improvements in bus service along the coast now provide hikers with a safer alternative at every significant highway shoulder section while minimizing hikers’ miles off the trail’s beaches and footpaths. A network of six transit agencies has long provided uninterrupted service along the Oregon Coast, but…
