Throughout 2026, Bigfoot Trail Alliance crews, volunteers, youth, and partners revitalized the Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness by restoring 21 miles of trail and removing 398 fallen trees. Supported by the Mendocino and Shasta-Trinity National Forests, these collaborative efforts have left the wilderness in its best condition in years, with more work ahead.
Connecting the Dots of Life: Returning to the Yolla Bollys
A Bigfoot Trail Alliance volunteer crew spent a week restoring remote trails in the southern Yolla Bollys while sharing camp with former Mendocino National Forest employee Vaughn Hutchins. His return to the mountains he helped steward decades ago became a powerful reminder that trails connect landscapes, memories, and generations.
2025 CCC Collaborative
In October 2025, a crew of recent CCC Backcountry Trails Program graduates joined the Bigfoot Trail Alliance to restore two rugged miles of the Ides Cove Loop Trail in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness—reviving long-lost tread, removing 102 fallen logs, and continuing a legacy of stewardship, resilience, and connection to wild places.
Ken Graves and the Heart of Backcountry Trail Work
In this episode, Ken Graves shares reflections from a lifetime in the saddle, the evolving challenges of maintaining wilderness trails, and why he’s committed to mentoring the next generation of packers. It’s a heartfelt look at the labor, love, and legacy behind trail stewardship.
Reclaiming the Trail: Two Weeks of Wilderness Stewardship in the Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness
Over two weeks in the Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness, 28 Bigfoot Trail Alliance volunteers restored 6.8 miles of trail from the Ides Cove Trailhead. Supported by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Ken Graves, and the Backcountry Horsemen of California, the crew cleared 139 logs and rebuilt fire-damaged trail with hand tools.
Crossing Into the Klamaths: West Low Gap
The Bigfoot Trail Alliance partnered with the Shasta-Trinity National Forest to clear dense whitethorn brush from a key stretch of the West Low Gap Trail, marking the official entry into the Klamath Mountains from the Coast Range. This vital work ensures continued access through a wild and ecologically significant transition zone.
Restoring the Tule Creek Trail: Volunteers Lead the Way in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Six volunteers led by Jacob Shinners restored 1.5 miles of the Tule Creek Trail in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, removing nine logs and repairing rocky tread over four days. Contributing 174 service hours, the crew improved safety and access on this remote segment of the Bigfoot Trail, advancing ongoing wilderness restoration efforts.
Teen Science Trip
Learn about the Teen Science Trip that engaged local youth with real world science in the backcountry of the Trinity Alps Wilderness.