Pacific Northwest Trail Association is joining REI Co-op Seattle in celebrating National Public Lands Day on September 26th.
The Roadless Rule Is at a Crossroads. Here’s How You Can Help.
For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has helped protect some of the wildest remaining lands in our National Forests. Along the PNT, 156 miles of trail pass through 25 Inventoried Roadless Areas. Now, USDA has proposed repealing the rule. Learn why these protections matter, what repeal could mean for roadless lands, and how you can submit a personal comment to USDA.
When Fire Changes the Plan
When Fire Changes the Plan Wildfire has always shaped the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest Trail. Increasingly, it also shapes the work required to keep the trail open and maintained. This summer, fires, smoke, evacuations, and changing restrictions have repeatedly forced PNTA Performance Trail Crews to change where—and sometimes how—they work. It is a challenge…
Read More 
An Increase In Fire Activity Leads To Three Closures Along The PNT
An Increase In Fire Activity Leads To Three Closures Along The PNT As global temperatures continue to rise and summer seasons become hotter each year, more fires impact the wild lands that National Scenic Trails traverse. Just in the past month, several fires have started to burn near the Pacific Northwest Trail. The current closures…
Read More 
PNTA Saw Training 2026: “The Season Is Off and Running!”
PNTA Saw Training 2026: “The Season Is Off and Running!” Clearing blowdowns on the PNT takes skilled hands and sharp blades. This month near Baker Lake, a new cohort started learning both. Eleven rising outdoor leaders, pictured at left, joined PNTA’s Western Washington Regional Manager, Sterling Collins-Hill and Technical Advisor, Connor Clifford along with Bridget…
Read More Western Michigan Academy of Environmental Sciences Volunteers With PNTA
Western Michigan Academy of Environmental Sciences Volunteers With PNTA Earlier this month, 14 high school students and 3 chaperones from the Western Michigan Academy of Environmental Sciences (WMAES) flew halfway across the country to join the Pacific Northwest Trail Association for a week of hands-on trail stewardship. “We’ve had the opportunity to bring students out…
Read More 
PNTA Releases 2026 Maps
PNTA Releases 2026 Maps The Pacific Northwest Trail Association is taking orders for 2026 print maps! The maps are tear and water resistant, and provide hikers with information they might miss out on with other guides. Order here by May 15 to secure your copy for the 2026 hiking season. Why Should I Have A…
Read More 
The Sharper the Saw, The Stronger the Trail Crew
The Sharper the Saw, The Stronger the Trail Crew Near Seattle, there’s a garage with sawdust drifting across the floor, classical music playing over an FM radio, a wooden workbench with hand files, clamps, sandpaper and notes from old projects and over twenty crosscut saws hanging on the walls. This is where you’ll find Jeff…
Read More 
Olympic National Park Requires Bear Cans Throughout All Wilderness Areas
Olympic National Park Requires Bear Cans Throughout All Wilderness Areas Olympic National Park has updated its wilderness food storage requirements — and the change directly impacts Pacific Northwest Trail hikers traveling through the park. What’s Changed? For many years, hard-sided food storage containers (bear canisters) were required along the PNT only if you planned to…
Read More 
Year-end Reflection from PNTA Executive Director, Jeff Kish
Year-end Reflection from PNTA Executive Director, Jeff Kish As I reflect on 2025, I’m encouraged by the strength and resilience our community showed in a year unlike any other. Even as our federal partners scaled back dramatically, PNTA stepped forward with determination, creativity, and a renewed sense of purpose. We strengthened our staff, expanded our…
Read More 
PNTA Performance Crews Successful at Reopening North Cascades Closure
PNTA Performance Crews Successful at Reopening North Cascades Closure For the past three years, six miles of the PNT within North Cascades National Park have been closed due to a wildfire in 2022. This closure has prevented trail users from enjoying the beauty of the North Cascades whether they’re passing through on a day hike,…
Read More 
After Three Year Closure, The North Cascades Brush Creek Trail Re-opens!
After Three Year Closure, the North Cascades Brush Creek Trail Re-opens! After three years of being closed due to wildfire damage, the Brush Creek Trail in the North Cascades National Park is open! This allows trail users to fully traverse North Cascades National Park — and the entire Pacific Northwest Trail — for the first…
Read More