Hiker Headlines: Funding, National Park Projects, Pro-Crew, Sno-Park Fee Increase

It’s March 25. Money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund will go to important conservation projects in Washington. North Cascades National Park announced plans to reroute a section of Stehekin Road, and in Olympic National Park a new entrance station will improve traffic flow. WTA is hiring for our first paid pro trail-work crew. Washington State Parks announced that Sno-Park fees will increase starting next winter. WTA's Trailblazer app is better than ever. And, it's budget season at the state legislature. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

An upcoming project at the Heart O' the Hills entrance station will improve traffic flow to popular Hurricane Ridge. Photo by Claire Braby. 

Funding for public land: The forest service received $25.1 Million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for projects in Washington and Oregon. This money will fund a project to consolidate land in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest south of I-90. It will also fund two conservation efforts led by Washington Department of Natural Resources, one in Mason County and one in Clark County.

National park projects: In North Cascades National Park, plans are underway to reroute a quarter mile of Stehekin Road to avoid erosion. A period for public comment is currently open. And in Olympic National Park, the Heart O’ The Hills entrance to Hurricane Ridge will be getting a makeover. The project will include replacing outdated buildings and adding a second entry lane.

WTA Pro-Crew: WTA is launching our first paid backcountry pro trail-work crew. The crew will work this summer in three wilderness areas in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest: Glacier Peak, Pasayten and Lake Chelan/Sawtooth. The priority deadline for applications is April 8.

Sno-Park fee to increase: Washington State Parks announced that Sno-Park fees will increase starting on November 1, 2021. The last fee increase was in 2009. Since then, use has increased, new Sno-Parks have been added and essential equipment has aged out. These increases will fund the rising cost of operating and maintaining these areas.

Love for WTA's Trailblazer app: WTA's free mobile app, which was developed and is partially maintained by volunteers, was recently spotlighted by Seattle Met for being a homegrown app that helps folks find their way onto local trails. (OneBusAway and KEXP were the two other nonprofit apps in the list.) We also just released an update for the iOS version, so it should be easy, once again, to file trip reports from the app.

Budget season at the state legislature: On Wednesday, the House released their capital budget, which provides an important indicator of where some of WTA's key legislative issues will land, including the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. The House's operating budget as well as the Senate’s budget will be released Thursday. Join the Trail Action Network for more updates.

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