The Bigfoot Trail Alliance welcomed its first American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacations crew in June 2026. Volunteers from seven states restored 3.2 miles of trail, removed 30 fallen trees, and contributed 819 volunteer hours in the Siskiyou Wilderness. This inaugural partnership marks the beginning of a shared commitment to stewardship and public lands.
2026 Trail Work in the Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness
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.
Families Steward the Bigfoot Trail in the Russian Wilderness
Fourteen volunteers, including seven youth, spent a week restoring the Bigfoot Trail in the Russian Wilderness. Supported by the Klamath National Forest, the crew cleared 44 trees, rebuilt tread, and improved nearly eight miles of trail while fostering stewardship, teamwork, and meaningful connections between families and California’s wild public lands.
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.
Bigfoot Trail Alliance Launches First Seasonal Trail Crew
The Bigfoot Trail Alliance is proud to introduce its first seasonal trail crew. Working alongside Crew Leader Jacob Shinners, this talented team of trail builders, scientists, firefighters, and long-distance hikers will spend the summer restoring wilderness trails across the Klamath Mountains, expanding our capacity to steward public lands.
Youth Stewardship in the Marble Mountains
Youth and mentors gathered in the Marble Mountain Wilderness over Memorial Day Weekend to restore trails, build stewardship skills, and strengthen community. Crews cleared 7.5 miles of trail, removed 20 downed trees, and repaired tread while learning wilderness ethics, teamwork, and leadership through hands-on work in one of California’s wildest landscapes.
Lower Wooley Creek Trail Work
Each year we reopen the lower Wooley Creek Trail, cutting through brush, logs, poison oak, and ticks. This season, our crew cleared nine miles to Fowler Cabin—restoring passage through a once-lost corridor. Beyond lies deeper wilderness, where the trail fades again and the work continues, mile by mile, with care and commitment.
Edges for the Quiet Work Ahead: Crosscut Saw Training
Preparing for trail season begins at the sharpening bench. Jacob Shinners worked with a Forest Service specialist to tune crosscut saws while reflecting on the enduring value of primitive tools and the judgment required to keep wilderness trails open, quiet, safe, and deeply human.