Maintaining the 1,200 mile trail system is a big job and its season is short. It takes dedicated teams of professional, student, and volunteer crews, coordinated by the PNTA, to prepare the trail for visitors each summer.
Volunteer Guide 2023
Every year hundreds of people like you volunteer to keep the PNT in shape
That work wouldn’t be possible without volunteers like you! Each season PNTA hosts dozens of events that range from front country projects that last only a few hours, to week-long backpacking trips into remote wilderness areas.
Whether you’re new to trail work or a seasoned volunteer, you’re invited! Our staff will be with you and your crew every step of the way to ensure you have fun and stay safe while making meaningful contributions to the trail.
Ways to Get Involved
Trail Work Parties
2 or more hours (plus travel time)
Volunteer trail work parties offer something for everyone. These events are ideal for new volunteers or those who are able to help out for one day or less. Most projects are located in frontcountry work sites within a short drive from a trailside community.
Drop-in Work Parties
2 or more hours (plus travel time)
Drop-in work parties give experienced volunteers an opportunity to work alongside PNTA Performance Trail Crews on intermediate or difficult projects. These work parties are usually time-flexible for volunteers, who can arrange to join our crews for only a few hours, or to camp out and volunteer for a few days.
Backcountry Trips
2 or more days (plus travel time)
These overnight trail work parties provide opportunities for backcountry camping on the trail for one or more nights. Volunteers will need backpacking skills and equipment, and be able to hike long distances to help us service hard-to-reach parts of the trail in more remote backcountry areas.
The North Cascades Region
The PNT climbs to dramatic vistas as it works against the grain of the steep Cascade Mountains. Here, the trail spans the rainshadow of the Cascades, wending across the Cascade Crest, from the dry Pasayten Wilderness, to the lush temperate rainforests west of the massive range.
Known to some as the “American Alps,” a seemingly endless horizon of majestic peaks define this breathtaking landscape. At lower elevations, the trail explores ancient forests along river valleys. At higher altitudes, heather meadows surround postcard perfect alpine lakes.
Portions of the Pacific Northwest Trail remain snowbound for most of the year in this region. Higher elevations in the North Cascades are prone to world-record setting snowfall.
How You Can Help
In temperate rainforests, like those found in the Cascades, the PNT needs annual maintenance to stay protected from nature’s toll. One of the biggest priorities in this area is logging out hundreds of trees that fall across the PNT each year.
Protecting our natural resources is another important aspect of our work in this region. Building crossing structures can spare fragile alpine meadows from visitor use impacts. Maintaining the trail’s tread and drainage features protects the PNT from heavy rain and snowmelt which can damage the trail bed and cause erosion that can impact sensitive streams and other riparian habitat.
With volunteers’ help, we can take advantage of the short weather-window to keep this majestic section of the Pacific Northwest Trail open and safe.
Volunteer to help clear the Baker Lake Trail. Winter storms have brought down dozens of trees across the trail that follows the east side of Baker Lake on the Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest. Our experienced Crew Leaders will work with volunteers to continue to reopen this popular year-round section of PNT.
The project is rated easy but will have options for all abilities. There may be opportunities to use crosscut saws, go on a scouting hike while developing “trail eyes,” or do basic tread and drainage maintenance if needed but the main focus will be on removing logs and brush from the trail corridor.
Participants will meet at the Baker Lake Trailhead work north and must have a daypack, lunch and water.
This event is great for both seasoned trail stewards and folks with no trail work experience!
For some volunteers, log-out projects with scenic vistas are as good as it gets! At this event, volunteers will team up with a PNTA crew leader to continue clearing the Baker Lake Trail of downed trees. Crew leaders and other Region 6 USFS Certified Sawyers will use chainsaws to buck trees and volunteers will “swamp” by removing cut branches and logs from the trail. Volunteers may also have the chance to use crosscut saws, hand saws and hand tools to clear fallen trees and branches from the PNT. For folks interested in learning about other aspects of trails work, we may have opportunities to do tread work at this trail work party.
Camping is not included with this event but may be available at several campgrounds along the cool shores of Baker Lake, including the Park Creek Campground near the Baker Lake Trailhead.
North Cascades Region Events
| Event | Date/s | Event Type/s | Project | Hike Length | Experience |
| 4-22 Baker Lake Trail Logout | April 22 | Trail Work Party | Log-Out | 1-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| 5-6 Baker Lake Trail Logout | May 6 | Trail Work Party | Log-Out | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| WMAES Volunteer Event | May 15 -19 | Private Group Event | |||
| BOALPS Volunteer Event | June 3 | Private Group Event | |||
| BOALPS Volunteer Event | June 10 | Private Group Event | |||
Northeast Washington Region
Spanning between the Washington-Idaho border and the Okanogan, this undiscovered region of the Pacific Northwest Trail explores a diversity of environments. From lush temperate rainforests, to rolling grasslands, subalpine meadows, pine forests, granite gardens and volcanic rock cliffs, this 200-mile stretch of the PNT boasts an extraordinary amount of variety and natural beauty.
Visiting this remote corner of Washington can make for an unforgettable visit. Its wild, uncrowded character and scenic beauty make it worth the trip. These remote landscapes offer quiet, star-filled nights and some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities found on the PNT.
How You Can Help
The trail’s maintenance needs vary across the region too. Trail work parties in this area offer something for nearly anyone who is interested in the many facets of trail stewardship.
With your help, we can make the most of our short season in this special place and keep the Pacific Northwest Trail open for everyone to enjoy!
In temperate rainforests, like those found in the Selkirk Mountains, the PNT needs annual maintenance to stay protected from nature’s toll. One of the biggest priorities in this area is logging out hundreds of trees that fall across the PNT each year. Regular tread and drainage work is also important because it helps shield the trail from damage caused by heavy annual rainfall, and helps protect our natural resources.
Volunteer Work Parties
Most work parties in this region are great for beginners and for volunteers that have only a few hours to contribute. The most challenging and rewarding part of servicing this region of the PNT is getting there. Some worksites take a few hours of hardy PNW hiking to reach.
Backcountry Trips
Because of its great length, servicing the PNT in remote areas in the Selkirk Mountains requires a bigger time commitment. Our Backcountry Trip Work Parties are ideal for volunteers with prior backpacking experience that enjoy hiking long distances and spending a few days camping out on the trail with their crew.
Drop-In Work Parties
Our Drop-in Work Parties give experienced volunteers an opportunity to work alongside PNTA Performance Trail Crews on intermediate or difficult projects. These work parties are usually time-flexible for volunteers, who can arrange to join our crews for the day, or for a multi-day adventure.
Help close a trail gap in the PNT trail way! Join a PNTA trail crew and other volunteers working on a new trail that will connect the Mill Pond Historic Site to Sullivan Lake.
This new trail was roughed in just last year, and now we’ll work together to refine the details, like: widening the tread and corridor to spec, and reinforcing any steep downslope edges with wee rock walls or log retainers.
This is a great excuse to make a trip to beautiful Sullivan Lake, and dip your toes into trail stewardship at an easily accessible worksite. No trail crew experience necessary: the PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training. Just bring yourself, your daypack, and a thirst for a rewarding and unique experience on the trail!
Volunteers with any experience level are welcome at this trail work party. We’ll meet at the Pass Creek Pass Trailhead and spend the day doing log-out, tread and brush work on the Grassy-Hall Divide TR 533.
The heart-pumping hike up to the ridge line is worth the effort and volunteers can take satisfaction in knowing they helped clear the way for summer visitors!
There will be opportunities to help with a variety of important tasks. Volunteers may help by working as a “swamper,” a sawyer’s assistant, who removes log rounds and branches from the trail after they have been cut.
Volunteers may also take turns helping to drive on of our large two-person crosscut saws to cut bigger logs across the trail in the Wilderness. We will also use loppers and smaller handsaws to trim back brush and saplings growing in the trail way, and dirt work tools to repair the tread and clear drains.
The PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training. Just bring yourself, your daypack and camp gear (if you’ll stay overnight), and a thirst for a uniquely rewarding way to experience the PNT!
We’re seeking experienced volunteers to help log out the PNT in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness.
Drop-in volunteers and our Performance Trail Crew may be the first people to set foot in the wilderness this year. Our mission is to clear the Congressional route of the PNT on Shedroof Cutoff Trail 511 and get the trail ready for summer visitors. We will also clear a critical access trail to the PNT the Shedroof Divide Trail 512 via Thunder Creek Trail 526.
Volunteers will take turns as sawyers, helping to operate a large two-person crosscut saw to clear fallen logs from the trail way. When they are ready to take a break from the saw, they can also help by working as “swampers” who assist sawyers by rolling the log rounds and branches they have cut from the trail.
At this work party, there will also be opportunities to use loppers and smaller handsaws to trim back brush and saplings, and to us dirt work tools to repair the tread and clear drains along the way.
The PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training. Just bring yourself, your daypack and camp gear (if you’ll stay overnight), and a thirst for a uniquely rewarding way to experience the PNT!
Northeast Washington Events
| Event | Date/s | Event Type/s | Project | Hike Length | Experience |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | May 23 -30 | Work-Based Learning Event | New Trail Work | 0-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | May 27 | Trail Work Party | New Trail Work | 0-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Sullivan Lake Trails — Annual Maintenance | May 27 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Silver Creek Trails — Annual Maintenance | June 6 | Work-Based Learning Event | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | June 10 | Trail Work Party | New Trail Work | 1-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Abercrombie Mountain Trails — Annual Maintenance | June 10 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Shedroof Divide Access Trails — Annual Maintenance | June 22, 23, 24 or 25 | Drop-In Work Parties | Annual Maintenance | 6 miles | Experience Recommended |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | June 24 | Trail Work Party | New Trail Work | 0-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Grassy-Hall Divide Trails — Annual Maintenance | June 25 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Salmo-Priest Wilderness — Pack In Support | August 1 | Pack Support | Pack support | 13 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Salmo-Priest Wilderness — Pack Out Support | August 7 | Pack Support | Pack support | 13 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| N Fk Sullivan Creek — Pack In Support | August 16 | Pack Support | Pack support | 12 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| N Fk Sullivan Creek Trail — Annual Maintenance | August 16 -19 | Backcountry Trip | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Experience Recommended |
| N Fk Sullivan Creek — Pack Out Support | August 20 | Pack Support | Pack support | 12 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | September, 21, 22, 23, and 24 | Trail Work Parties | New Trail Work | 0-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Sullivan Outlet Creek — New Trail | October, 5, 6, 7, and 8 | Trail Work Parties | New Trail Work | 0-3 miles | Beginners Welcome |
Okanogan Highlands Region
Surrounding the midpoint of the Pacific Northwest Trail, the Okanogan Highlands defy visitors’ expectations of the Northwest with an arid climate that nears desert conditions.
Stretching roughly between the Okanogan and Kettle Rivers, this complex high country landscape is characterized by rolling parklands, large rounded mountains (up to 8,000 feet tall) and deep narrow valleys.
Wide open spaces in the Highlands add to the diversity of environments found along the PNT as do fragrant sagebrush shrub-steppes, sweeping grasslands, marshy aspen groves, and shady forests of pine, fir, larch and spruce.
How You Can Help
New Tread — Exciting progress has been made in recent years to realign sections of the PNT in the Okanogan. Moving sections of trail from open roads to trails and other non-motorized routes in this area is among the PNTA’s foremost goals.
Brushing — In the Okanogan, the PNT needs regular maintenance to stay in good condition. Aromatic sage brush and other woody plants can thrive in this sunny climate and will overtake exposed sections of trail without regular brushing.
Logout — The ponderosa pine forests that characterize the area can reach towering heights. In recent years, severe storms have caused considerable damage in a short amount of time in places like Clackamas Mountain. Volunteer sawyers and swampers can help by joining work parties to keep forested trails clear of downed trees.
In 2023, lucky volunteers may be able to join work parties around Swan Lake, and the Kettle Crest to help improve the route of the PNT in the Highlands and beyond.
At these volunteer events, you can help maintain some of the less explored parts of the PNT on the Colville National Forest, and get them ready for the summer.
During Volunteer Work Parties on Saturday and Sunday, this PNTA crew will work on maintaining the PNT where it heads out of Swan Lake, and where it skirts around Fir Mountain (Corner Butte Trail). These unique parts of the PNT haven’t been formally recognized as individual trails yet, so you won’t find them on most maps!
Volunteer “swampers” will work with a PNTA sawyer, rolling log rounds and tossing cut branches off the trail corridor. Crew members also use loppers or handsaws to prune back brush and saplings, or dirtwork tools to touch up the surface of the trail and clear drains along the way.
No trail crew experience necessary: the PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, crew training and outdoor skills mentorship. Just bring yourself, your daypack & gear, and a thirst for a rewarding day outdoors!
Volunteer to help restore the western half of the Fourth of July Ridge Trail 307 and celebrate National Trails Day, a day of service for hometown trails and the people who love them.
In 2021, a wildfire closed the PNT and other popular trails around Mount Bonaparte. With your help, we’ll restore the trail in time for summer!
As we hike along, we’ll make any needed repairs to the surface of the trail and its drains to protect it from erosion. We’ll also protect the tread from brush and new spring growth along the way.
While we work to leave the trail better, there will be opportunities to take a close look at the rebirth of a forest as the succession cycle begins again, and grasses, leafy herbaceous plants and wildflowers begin blanketing the ground.
No trail crew experience necessary: the PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training. Just bring yourself, your daypack, and a thirst for a rewarding day on the trail!
It’s the perfect excuse to linger on the Kettle Crest while wildflowers are in their prime! Join this PNTA crew maintaining the Pacific Northwest Trail in the Kettle River Range, between Marble Mountain and Profanity Peak.
On this trip, working north to south, we’ll maintain: Marble Mountain TR 6120-400, East Deer Creek TR 6100-450, and the Kettle Crest TR 13N from Taylor Ridge to Profanity Peak.
Much of the North Kettle Crest is in its eighth season of regrowth since the 2015 Stickpin Fire, with shrubs thickets now well established and nursing the next generation of young forest. During this vigorous stage of regrowth, trails need regular maintenance to ensure the shrub community doesn’t overtake the corridor.
Experienced volunteers can “drop in” to boost the capacity of a PNTA Performance Crew over the weekend, or join a Volunteer Work Party (open to newbies!) on Sunday.
Together we will clear a path through the PNT by serving as “swampers” who follow behind a PNTA sawyer, rolling log rounds and tossing branches off the trail. We’ll also use loppers or handsaws to trim back brush and saplings, and dirt work tools to spot maintain the tread and clear drains along the way.
No trail crew experience necessary: the PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training. Just bring yourself, your daypack, and a thirst for a rewarding day on the trail!
Okanogan Region Events
| Event | Date/s | Event Type/s | Project | Hike Length | Experience |
| Swan Lake to Clackamas Mountain — Annual Maintenance | May 27 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Mount Bonaparte Trails— Log Out and Restore | June 6 | Work-Based Learning Event | Log-Out & Restoration | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Fourth of July Ridge Restoration — National Trails Day Event | June 10 | National Trail Day Event | Log-Out & Restoration | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Kettle Crest North: Marble Mountain to Profanity Peak — Maintain and Restore | July 9 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Mount Bonaparte Trails — Maintain and Restore | July 22 | Trail Work Party | Annual Maintenance | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Taylor Ridge TR 074 — Crossing Structures | August 15 -22 | Work-Based Learning Event | Structures and Treadwork | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Stickpin TR 071 — Restoration and Puncheon Bridge | August 15 -22 | Work-Based Learning Event | Structures and Treadwork | 5 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| N Fk Sullivan Creek — Pack In Support | August 16 | Pack Support | Pack support | 12 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Kettle Crest North: Leona Loop Restoration | September 5 – 12 | Work-Based Learning Event | Brushing and Treadwork | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Taylor Ridge TR 074 — Crossing Structures & Restoration | September 9 or 10 | Trail Work Party | Structures and Treadwork | 6-8 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| Okanogan Highlands: Beth & Beaver Lake Trails — Restoration | September 9 | Trail Work Party | Brushing and Treadwork | 3-6 miles | Beginners Welcome |
Pasayten Wilderness Region
With 150 miles between resupply points in Oroville and Ross Lake, the Pasayten Wilderness is the longest roadless section of the Pacific Northwest Trail. For 95 unforgettable miles, the PNT traverses the untrammeled heart of the designated wilderness area. The outstanding scenery and immersive experience it provides places the Pasayten Wilderness near the top of every backpacker’s life list.
Yet, the qualities that make this part of the PNT so special also make it a real adventure for volunteers and trail crews to access and work in.
Many worksites in this remote, roadless area take one full day of hiking to reach. This makes them best suited for multi-day backcountry trip volunteer events. These work parties are ideal for volunteers with prior backpacking experience that enjoy hiking long distances and camping out on the trail with their crew.
How You Can Help
Every season, there is a lot of work to do in the Pasayten Wilderness and only a short time to get the job done.
Logout — The first priority is logging out hundreds of trees that fall across the PNT each year. Volunteers and Performance Trail Crews will spend the summer clearing the trail the old fashioned way using crosscut saws and other muscle-powered hand tools as wilderness regulations require.
Pack Support — Whether they’re carrying a backpack or leading a pack string of stock animals, pack support volunteers help move tools and supplies in and out of our backcountry “spike camps” so crews can direct more of their energy towards trail work.
With your help, we can make the most of our short season in this special place and keep the Pacific Northwest Trail open for everyone to enjoy.
For some volunteers, using crosscut saws and camping out in the Pasayten Wilderness with a seasoned trail crew is as good as it gets!
On this backcountry trip our PNTA Performance Crew will backpack out to “Lone Wolf Camp” on Long Draw TR 340, an approximate 5.6 mile trek from Goodneough Trailhead that takes about four hours on foot.
(For other ways to help, see also: Pack Support.)
From there we’ll continue working west on the PNT Boundary TR 533. With your help we can meet our goal for this hitch: to clear a path to the foot of Haig Mountain, ensuring a pack string loaded with gear and supplies can reach our camp the following week, when we’ll continue maintaining the PNT across the Wilderness.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to camp out with the crew. They’ll take turns using a big crosscut saw to cut logs, and smaller hand saws and loppers to cut saplings and brush from the trail. PNTA sawyers can also use volunteer “swampers” to help remove freshly cut branches and logs from the trail.
Please note, this is a physically challenging trip in a rugged and remote wilderness area. Previous backpacking experience is highly recommended, but no trail crew experience is necessary. The PNTA provides tools, personal protective equipment, and training.
The mountains are calling and we must go! Volunteer to provide crucial pack support to a PNTA trail crew working to log-out trails in the Eastern Pasayten Wilderness.
On Friday morning a PNTA trail crew will be ready to relocate from their basecamp at Goodenough Park trailhead, to “Lone Wolf” spike camp on Long Draw TR 340. This 5.6 mile hike takes about 4 hours on foot. Helping the crew move to a backcountry camp will allow them to work from Horseshoe Basin to Haig Mountain, clearing an additional five miles of the PNT trail in the Wilderness.
If backcountry equestrians are interested in volunteering for this trip, we could accomplish our goals with 3–4 stock animals. We need to haul in about 435 pounds of gear and supplies. (We won’t require pack out support for this trip, as we plan to return the following week and continue clearing the trail deeper into the Wilderness.)
If equestrians aren’t available, we’ll lighten up our gear and make any necessary adjustments to get the job done with two-legged volunteers. 5–10 volunteer backpackers will be needed to help the crew carry in food supplies, tools and gear.
Pack support volunteers are welcome to arrive at our basecamp on Thursday evening. The PNTA can provide you with backpacks, and you can choose how much weight you or your stock are comfortable carrying.
Please bring your essential daypack items, and backpacking gear if you plan to make this a multi-day trip. See Resources (below) for Frequently Asked Questions and packing recommendations.
The mountains are calling and we must go! Volunteer to provide crucial pack support to a PNTA trail crew working in the Eastern Pasayten Wilderness.
On Tuesday morning a PNTA trail crew will need volunteers to help pack in gear and supplies from the Goodenough Trailhead to the “Fireplace” backcountry camp on the Boundary TR 533, at the foot of Haig Mountain. This 10.5 mile trip takes about 7 hours to hike, one way.
(See also: Pack Out Support, Mon July 24th)
If backcountry equestrians are interested in volunteering for this trip, we could accomplish our goals with 5-6 stock animals. We need to haul in about 650 pounds of gear and supplies. (Some tools and gear will be picked up along the way at “Lone Wolf” camp in Long Draw.)
If equestrians aren’t available, we’ll lighten up our gear and make any necessary adjustments to get the job done with two-legged volunteers. 10-15 volunteer backpackers will be needed to help the crew carry in food supplies, tools and gear.
Pack support volunteers are welcome to arrive at basecamp on Monday evening. Volunteers may also want to camp overnight in the backcountry on Tuesday, before completing the trek back to the trailhead on Wednesday.
The PNTA can provide you with backpacks, and you decide how much weight you or your stock are comfortable carrying.
Please bring your essential daypack items, as well as your backpacking gear if you plan to make this a multi-day trip. See Resources (below) for Frequently Asked Questions and packing recommendations.
Pasayten Wilderness Events
| Event | Date/s | Event Type/s | Project | Hike Length | Experience |
| East Pasayten Wilderness: Goodenough Park to Haig Mountain — Log Out and Maintenance | July 6 -10 | Backcountry Trip | Log-Out | 6-12 miles | Experience Recommended |
| East Pasayten Wilderness — Pack Support | July 7 | Pack Support | Pack support | 11 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| East Pasayten Wilderness: Horseshoe Basin to Teapot Dome — Log Out and Maintenance | July 18 -25 | Backcountry Trip | Log-Out | 6-12 miles | Experience Recommended |
| East Pasayten Wilderness — Pack In Support | July 18 | Pack Support | Pack support | 11 miles | Beginners Welcome |
| East Pasayten Wilderness — Pack Out Support | July 23 -24 | Pack Support | Pack support | 11 miles | Beginners Welcome |