Building Trails, Community, and Future Stewards
Over Memorial Day Weekend, a group of youth and adult mentors gathered at the edge of the Marble Mountain Wilderness for a few days of hard work, shared meals, dirty hands, and meaningful connection to place. What unfolded was more than a trail project — it was a reminder that stewardship is learned through experience, community, and time spent caring for the land together.
Hosted by the Bigfoot Trail Alliance in partnership with regional organizations, the Marble Mountains Youth Stewardship Weekend brought together young people from across Northwest California to work on trails near the Stanshaw Trailhead and Haypress Meadows.
Over the course of the weekend, crews worked approximately 7.5 miles of trail, removed around 20 downed trees, brushed encroaching vegetation, and completed roughly a mile of tread repair and trail restoration. The work helped improve access to one of the wildest and most ecologically rich landscapes in California while giving participants firsthand experience with wilderness stewardship.
The weekend was not just about moving logs and rebuilding trail tread. It was about learning how to travel responsibly through rugged landscapes, how to work together, and how public lands stay open because people are willing to care for them.
Participants camped together, shared stories around the fire, and were supported by incredible meals prepared by cook Cathy Leavens — a reminder that nourishment and hospitality are also forms of stewardship. Adult leaders helped teach tool use, wilderness safety, Leave No Trace ethics, and the value of teamwork in challenging terrain.
Passing the torch of stewardship to future generations is not just of utmost importance but also incredibly rewarding.
– Michael Kauffmann, BFTA Executive Director
That spirit captures the deeper purpose of these gatherings. Trails matter because they connect people to landscapes. But they also connect generations to one another. In a time when many young people are increasingly disconnected from the natural world, weekends like this create space for resilience, confidence, responsibility, and belonging to grow.
The Bigfoot Trail itself stretches through some of the most biologically diverse mountains in North America. Maintaining these trails takes ongoing effort, especially after wildfire, storms, and years of deferred maintenance. Programs like this help build the next generation of trail stewards while giving youth direct ownership in the care of their public lands.
The Bigfoot Trail Alliance extends deep gratitude to every volunteer, mentor, youth participant, and partner organization who made the weekend possible. Special thanks to the adults who showed patience, leadership, and flexibility throughout the trip — and to the youth who showed up ready to work, learn, laugh, and give back.
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