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Hiker Headlines: Parks Funding, Getting Kids Outside, Public Lands Questions

Posted by db06976a4a484f5a88518a31814f4d06 at Jul 18, 2019 04:21 PM |
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Parks in King County need your help with vital funding. More kids are getting outside thanks to a boost from Washington grants. Trailhead Direct, a WTA partner project, is inspiring transit-to-trail systems in other states. New federal land policies are in flux. And Olympics bridges will close for inspection.

It’s Thursday, July 18. Parks in King County need your help with vital funding. More kids are getting outside thanks to a boost from Washington grants. Trailhead Direct, a WTA partner project, is inspiring transit-to-trail systems in other states. New federal land policies are in flux. And Olympics bridges will close for inspection.  

Here’s some hiker news you might have missed while out on trail this week: 

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Voting yes for King County Prop 1. will ensure funding goes to projects like this one in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park in the Issaquah Alps. Photo by Andrew Pringle. 

Parks need you: Join WTA in voting yes for King County Prop. 1, also known as the County Parks Levy, which will continue to provide crucial funding for county parks. This year, we’re especially excited that the levy will include an additional $10 million for equity-specific work to make outdoor spaces more welcoming to everyone. 

Kids play outside: The Washington state legislature awarded $1.5 million in grants to organizations across the state as part of the No Child Left Inside program, which helps more youth get outside. WTA supported and celebrated the decision to fully fund the program in the 2019 legislative session.

Car-free inspiration: Washington’s transit-to-trail system, Trailhead Direct, is serving as a model for other cities that want to help hikers ditch the car to get to the trailhead. 

Meanwhile, in the other Washington: WTA is keeping close tabs on several public lands bills currently being debated in Congress. Interested in speaking up for trails? Sign up for our Trail Action Network.

Bridge closures: Starting today, several bridges in the Olympic National Forest will be closed for inspections. Plan ahead for an alternate route to your favorite trailhead, and don’t forget to file a trip report and let other hikers know what to expect on the road!

BE IN THE KNOW

  • Keep up to date with Trail News, our monthly email newsletter. 
  • For the most up-to-date information on trails, check out our trip reports. And then write your own. 

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