Today, America’s newest and most remote National Scenic Trail remains mostly unsigned and unblazed. Not only can this add to the challenge of a trip on the Pacific Northwest Trail, the lack of signage also represents a missed opportunity to share the wonders of the trail for the benefit of all.
In the future, the iconic Thunderbird service mark will help visitors discover the PNT as if for the first time and experience that magical moment when they come to learn that a favorite trail is part of something bigger – a National Scenic Trail that continues for 1200 miles, protecting natural wonders from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
Thanks to Project Thunderbird supporters, PNTA has come closer to our goal of installing a Thunderbird on every post from the Crown of the Continent to the Pacific Coast. Here is an update on our work during the 2018 season and beyond:
Project Thunderbird Registry
Explore our interactive map to find your marker on the trail.
Beginning in 2017, PNTA has offered the limited opportunity to earn a place on our Project Thunderbird registry to donors that made a qualifying contribution to our year-end fundraising campaigns. Thanks to our supporters, we raised over $25,000 during our 2017 Thunderbird fundraising campaign!
This season, we put those gifts to work. We restored damaged tread, relocated sections of trail and installed Thunderbird trail markers to honor donors who supported the campaign.
You can earn a place on our Project Thunderbird registry by donating to our Youth Crew Heroes campaign.
For a limited time, you can dedicate a trail marker on the Pacific Northwest Trail to someone special with a qualifying donation of $100 or more. Learn more about the Pacific Northwest Trail Association’s year-end fundraiser at Classy.org
Every gift to our #YouthCrewHeroes campaign will help us empower youth from gateway communities to protect trails. Each year, 80% of the work that the PNTA performs on the Pacific Northwest Trail is done by our youth crew members. You can make a difference on the PNT and in all the lives that it benefits.
Large trailhead markers offer great visibility at a distance.
Large Trailhead Markers
Large, ten inch markers offer greater visibility when viewed at a distance. With the help of our partners on the Colville and Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests, large trailhead markers were installed on appropriate trailhead kiosks in honor of 2017 Project Thunderbird donors this year.
Now, every visitor to the Pacific Northwest Trail system on these forests can share in the excitement that comes with experiencing a part of a National Scenic Trail. Some visitors may even be inspired to plan future trips on the PNT including Crown-to-Coast adventures!
A small PNT reassurance marker identifies the PNT on the Squires Lake Trail.
Small Reassurance Markers
At trail junctions and other key locations, three and a half inch trail markers help to reassure trail users which direction to go without detracting from the scenic quality of the trail.
With the help our our Project Thunderbird supporters, PNTA purchased 500 markers and our trail crews installed them throughout the 2018 season. Thanks to the support of our trail community, you can expect to see even more trail markers installed along the PNT next year!
Trail Marker Image Gallery
