In 2017, I saw the opportunity to adopt a stretch of trail in the White Mountains. After choosing a short section of trail as my own, I went to a daylong training to learn all about trail corridors, level-one trail maintenance, and how to clear water bars (the bane of my existence). Fast forward to June 2021, and I found myself retaking the same training on trail maintenance and the passion for giving back was reignited.
Many individuals volunteering for trail work are getting older. As they “retire” from the work, fewer younger people are picking up the slack. In talking about adoption with a fellow hiker, I realized not many people know about the process. This means fewer people are likely to do it. I hope I can remove some of the confusion about adopting a trail or to volunteering on trails, whether National Scenic Trails or local trails in any state.
Where to Start with Adopting a Section of Trail
The many organizations responsible for our public lands and trails can be overwhelming, so here’s a general overview of who does what and where.
Bureau of Land Management – Manages 1 in every 10 acres of land in the United States, including 6,000 miles of trails spread across 18 National Scenic Trails found in 15 states. Volunteer information can be found here on how to reach a local volunteer coordinator. The most well-known volunteer opportunity offered through the BLM is National Public Lands Day.
National Park Service – Oversees over 85 million acres of land and 423 areas across the country, including national monuments, parks, military parks, etc. Volunteer opportunities can be found here.
National Trails System – Overseen by the National Park Service. According to their website, “the National Trails System consists of 30 national scenic and historic trails, as well as more than a thousand recognized regional or local national recreational trails and several side or connecting trails.” Volunteer opportunities can be found here.
United States Forest Service – Locally, this is the best place to find out about volunteer opportunities for your state. This organization manages over 77 million acres of land across the United States. In terms of volunteering in the national forests, this is the agency that oversees volunteer opportunities. Further information can be found here.
Volunteer.gov – Volunteer.gov serves as a one-stop-shop for government public land volunteer opportunities. If you’re confused by what agency oversees things in your state, go to volunteer.gov and search for volunteer opportunities in your area.
Volunteer Opportunities by National Scenic Trail
There are many local organizations maintaining and managing National Scenic Trails. Although this is not a comprehensive list of all of the historic and recreation trails in the United States, it encompasses the designated National Scenic Trails in the US.
Appalachian Trail
Arizona Trail
Continental Divide Trail
Florida Trail
Ice Age Trail
Natchez Trace Parkway
New England Trail
North Country Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Northwest Trail
Volunteer Opportunities by State
On a local level, there are dozens of groups and organizations that manage and maintain trails across the US. For example, in New Hampshire there are 92 organizations that maintain trails, and each organization offers volunteer opportunities. On top of that, there are dozens of local state parks with chances to volunteer.
Trail Organizations by State – This website is a godsend for anyone who wants to know every organization responsible for maintaining trails or public lands.
State Parks – This website links to the state parks that are found in each state. Volunteering at a state park is another way to give back to the public lands, and some state parks have vast networks of trails that need to be maintained.
Yes, You Should Consider Adopting a Trail!
As someone who spends the majority of my free time hiking on public lands, I feel it’s my responsibility to give back to the trails. The beautiful thing about adopting a trail is that you discover how much work goes into maintaining trail systems across the US. If you have ever had to spend a day cleaning out water bars, brushing out overgrown trails, or clearing blowdowns with hand saws, then you understand the sense of pride and ownership that comes with taking an active role in maintaining our trail systems.
Your perspective will shift and you can notice things like how corridors in wilderness areas are narrower, where recent trail work has been done, or when a trail is not being maintained. Hiking will no longer be just about walking from point A to point B. In picking up a tool and working the land, you will learn to appreciate how much labor and love goes into maintaining our trails.
I hope more hikers will get out there and volunteer on their local trails. Then, hopefully, more people will begin to understand what an incredible gift it is to have thousands of miles of trails to explore and feel a sense of pride and ownership in keeping our trails in good shape for future generations.