By Kim Kovacs, Volunteer, Trailkeepers of Oregon Trailkeepers of Oregon has begun 2019 on a record track, despite the cancellation of a number of work parties in February. The following numbers give an indication of TKO’s activities over…
TKO has continued to be extremely busy in 2019. Here’s a summary of achievements for the period of January through October 2019:
355 | work parties — compared to 195 for this period in 2018. |
3,042 | volunteer days — compared to 1,939 in 2018. |
779 | unique volunteers — compared to 562 in 2018. |
518 | one-time only volunteers — compared to 366 last year. |
261 | repeat volunteers — compared to 196 last year. |

TKO volunteers Ryan, John, Terry, Olivia, Mark, and Ted posing at the High Bridge in Tryon Creek State Park. (Photo by Drew Stock)
Work parties in 2019 have involved partnering with the following agencies:
Oregon State Parks
Ainsworth
Arcadia Beach
Bridal Veil Falls
Cape Lookout
Ecola
Guy W. Talbot
John B. Yeon
Milo McIver
Oswald West
Silver Falls
Starvation Creek
Stub Stewart
Tryon Creek
Wygant
Metro
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park
Killin Wetlands Nature Park
Oxbow Regional Park
Hood River County
Oregon Department of Forestry
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (U.S. Forest Service)
Angel’s Rest Trail #415
Devils Rest Trail #420C
Franklin Ridge Trail #427
Gorge 400 Trail
Horsetail Falls Trail #438
Larch Mountain Trail #441
Return Trail #442
Vista Point Trail #419
Wahclella Falls Trail #436
Wahkeena Trail #420
Mt. Hood National Forest
Clackamas River Ranger District
Hood River Ranger District
Zigzag Ranger District
Siuslaw National Forest
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
Portland Audubon
Friends of the Columbia Gorge
The Nature Conservancy
North Coast Land Conservancy
Lower Nehalem Community Trust

Volunteer Rachel clearing brush for a new trail at Metro’s Chehalem Ridge Nature Park. (Photo by John Sparks)
Recent events have included:
- Family Friendly Trail Parties
- LGBTQ Trail Party
- Monthly Crew Brews
- Monthly Crew Leader Study Halls
- Crew Leader School (Leadership Lab)
- Crew Leader Mechanized Equipment Training
- Annual Well-Kept Event to Honor Trail Stewards
- Tool Care Parties
- Five #OptOutside Trail Parties on Black Friday (Nov. 29th)

Volunteer Betty (left) and crew leader Art Mills (right) with Parks Ranger John Hilbert working on a new curb wall at Silver Falls State Park. (Photo by John Sparks)
TKO statistics supplied by Kim Kovacs: kim.kovacs@trailkeepersoforegon.org