Stepping Up for Public Lands: Celebrating National Trails Day Together

On June 7, the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley came alive with purpose as more than 100 people gathered to celebrate National Trails Day the best way we know how—by giving back to the trails that give us so much.

This year’s event marked a major milestone for our volunteer program with the largest trail work party the Greenway Trust has hosted since before the pandemic. We intentionally grew the event from just 20 participants last year to more than 100 this year, and we filled every single spot quickly and even had a waitlist! That’s a powerful sign of how eager folks are to give back to the public lands they love.

Building Volunteer Momentum

While the spike in National Trails Day participation was exciting, it’s great to see it’s part of a bigger trend overall. With land management agencies facing budget cuts and staffing shortages (Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s Snoqualmie Ranger District is currently operating with just 3 recreation staff members on a team that was formerly 17), volunteers are stepping up in meaningful ways, and we’re building more opportunities to support that energy.

• In 2025, the Greenway Trust is hosting 45+ trail focused volunteer events, compared to just 7 in 2024 and 4 in 2023
• Nearly 800 volunteers are expected to take part in these events this year—up from just 68 last year
• We’re working to maintain 50 miles of trail this season, relying more heavily on volunteers to help meet that goal
• We’re also hiring three seasonal volunteer specialists to further expand our stewardship events this summer and fall, providing more ways for the public to dig in and make a difference in our communities

In past years, much of this maintenance work was carried out by our seasonal trail crew, who can travel deep into the backcountry. This year, with a leaner staff and rising needs due to funding challenges, we’re asking volunteers to help us care for the more accessible, high-use trails closer in. These front-country areas see heavy foot traffic and need frequent upkeep to stay safe and accessible for all.

Real Impact on the Ground

National Trails Day volunteers accomplished an impressive amount of work across six sites: Camp Brown, Garfield Ledges, Snoqualmie Lake, the Middle Fork Trailhead, Middle Fork Trail, and the Middle Fork Campground. These are beloved spots in a lush, forested valley that see high use throughout the entire year. Without regular maintenance, trail conditions can quickly decline.

For example, at Camp Brown, volunteers cleared back overgrown vegetation to keep the trail open for wheelchair users and ensure the river access ramp remains in good working order. It’s a great example of how regular trail work supports access and inclusion, and why we must remain committed to ongoing stewardship of the recreation infrastructure that’s been built.

At the other sites, volunteers:

• Hauled out a truck bed’s worth of old boardwalk materials that were left behind on the Middle Fork Trail
• Brushed 1,000 feet of trail and cleared 8 picnic areas
• Hauled 30 buckets of gravel uphill to improve the trail surface
• Improved 1 mile of trail tread and drainage
• Removed 300 square feet of non-native blackberry

Community, Celebration, and Stewardship

In addition to individual volunteers, groups from The Mountaineers, Outdoor Asian, Trail Mixed Collective, and Washington Trails Association (WTA) joined the day’s efforts, bringing even more energy and community to the experience.

After a morning of hard work, volunteers returned to the Middle Fork Trailhead for a Cheers for Volunteers celebration featuring food from Falling River Meats and non-alcoholic beverages from Volition Brewing, two great local North Bend businesses, as well as a camp set up provided by REI. Giveaways included gear from REI, gift cards from EVO and Brooks Running, and Greenway swag to thank folks for their contributions.

We were also joined by several of our partners who shared about their organization as well as tips and resources on how to Recreate Responsibly—a message that’s especially important heading into peak recreation season. With limited staff across public land agencies, it’s up to all of us to do our part to care for these places and share those practices with others.

Thanks to our friends from the Snoqualmie Tribe, The Mountaineers, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The Earth Gym, WTA, King County Search and Rescue, and Conservation Northwest for helping to make the day a big success with your partner tables! The event was also supported in part by 4Culture.

Join Us! We’ve Got More Trail to Cover

The energy at this year’s National Trails Day was inspiring—and it doesn’t have to be a once-a-year thing. We’ve got many more volunteer opportunities lined up this year. Whether you want to roll up your sleeves for trail maintenance or get your hands dirty helping restore native habitat, there are plenty of ways to give back, form a deeper connection with the Greenway landscape, and meet others who care about these places too.

> Find your next volunteer opportunity at mtsgreenway.org/events. We hope to see you out there!