If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s that we all rely on each other to be the best we can be. This week, the Portland based, all-women hiking group Trailmix has come together to match all donations, up to $5000! That means every dollar you give this week is twice as powerful. If you’re going to give, give now! Huge thanks the folks at Trailmix for their powerful partnership and for supporting Oregon’s trails.
This spectacular mini-gorge within the Gorge leaves most visitors in silent awe, not just because figuring out how to say its name can be elusive. Pronounced “Oh-nee-ON-ta”, this deep channel and its accompanying waterfalls was a classic Gorge sight until the Eagle Creek Fire rendered it too dangerous to access. This beloved trail and waterway has been closed to public access since 2017.
The trail waits now for trail work below Triple Falls and the construction of the a new bridge to replace one lost in the fire. The next two miles of trail above the bridge has not been explored since 2017. What we have seen implies a large amount of work to clear the trail to the Horsetail Junction and above onto the switchback portion.
In addition to being one of the farthest west long loop hikes in the Gorge, the Oneonta Trail is also key to resuming access to the Horsetail Creek Trail, and eventually the west side of Nesmith Point. Both of these areas are quite remote from any road and opening them will almost certainly require overnight projects. You can help us get this work done by donating today!
In 2017, the Eagle Creek fire changed the Columbia Gorge forever – running over 40+ thousand acres and closing over 122 miles of trails. This event changed the trajectory of our small nonprofit, propelling us into a role that we barely kept up with. Only by way of a motivated community of volunteers, we grew quickly and stepped in to help on trails that were in different degrees of damage. 3 years later the heart of the Gorge is breathing new life, but many trails are still closed. Only by way of the shear power of our volunteers and supporters, TKO continues to hoof it up them hills and get after the next trails that we seek to recover. Help us do more!
Every spring, Trailkeepers of Oregon Trail Ambassadors head out onto some of Oregon’s most well-loved trails to welcome visitors and share important information about the trail, hiking safety, Leave No Trace, local flora and fauna, and more. We’ve added more locations to our repertoire for this season and we need your help to meet the growing demand on our trails!
Happy Holidays Trailkeepers,
The TKO Legacy Builders end-of-year campaign is coming to a close on December 31st. We are so proud that this campaign is fueled by a grassroots donor base that builds a kick start of support for a new year. Our approach continues to be that everyone in their own way is a Trailkeeper – giving time, giving passion, or giving dollars. Each of these contributions amount to more protection and enhancement of Oregon’s hiking trails.
From Latourell Falls to Mosier Plateau, TKO volunteers put in 6,171 hours (257 days!) in the Columbia River Gorge throughout 2023 ensuring your favorite trails remain ready to welcome you on your adventures. Read on for fun insight on the wide variety of trails and projects that you, our community, helped us to pursue!
Trailkeepers of Oregon
P.O. Box 14814
Portland, OR 97293
(971) 206-4351