Idaho Trails Association

08/05/2026

Volunteers needed!

This project just got an update and we still have spots open for one of our most adventurous projects of the summer! The Windy Bill project runs starting this weekend, August 9-15 in the Proposed Great Burn Wilderness near Pierce, Idaho. This weeklong backpacking trip has you logging out the Scurvy Mountain and Windy Bill Trails -- part of the Idaho Centennial Trail -- with stunning views overlooking the Moose Mountains, Cayuse and Kelly Creek drainages, and Scurvy Lake. Gear gets packed in, you hike out. Food per diem provided. If you're ready for a week of saw work in incredible backcountry sign up now!

https://idahotrailsassociation.org/event/2026-windy-bill/

08/05/2026

This was a great week…as we worked the trails, as we hacky-sacked, as we climbed peaks, and as we enjoyed meals together! The beautiful scenery, the hard work, the removal of 207 trees and a BFB, the cold water of Ruth Lake, the physical exercise, and the great companionship made it truly wonderful. And finding my new love in the Rock Bar was a good addition too. Thank you all. – Conner Hall, volunteer

Photos by: Rachel Burnett, Chris Keilty, Sarah Antrobus, and Alex Cravener

08/04/2026

We have spots for one or two more families this weekend!⚡

When: August 8-9
Where: Upper Payette Lake outside of McCall

What: We'll camp together along beautiful Upper Payette Lake, spend time exploring the lakeshore, playing games, and giving back to Idaho's trails. This special project is designed with families in mind—parents or guardians can take turns heading out for a day of trail work while the rest of the family enjoys camp. We'll have fun activities planned for kids and their grown-ups, making it a great weekend for everyone. Families with kids of all ages are welcome! Come make memories, meet other trail-loving families, and help care for the places we all love. We can't wait to see you there!

Learn more here: https://idahotrailsassociation.org/event/2026-upper-payette-lake-family-weekend/

Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation

08/03/2026

ITA continued its work on the Little Queens River trail in the Sawtooth Wilderness last week sending in 11 women volunteers to continue efforts to clear downfall and brush the trail in order to open up the Queens River loop after the 2013 fire.
Backpacking in with all of our gear and tools we worked our way toward camp. Over the next four hot days the crew cut out over 80 trees and brushed vegetation overtaking the trail. Five members of the crew were on their first ITA project and quickly became seasoned sawyers and loppers. Every member of this crew worked hard and we became an efficient and dedicated team of GOATS ;-)) Laughter, soaks in the nearby creek, tracking down water on the trail, crazy mustachioed “gentlemen”, backgammon lessons, a swim in the lake, fixing a flat tire, watermelon at the trailhead, all created a memorable women only project.
Over all, we covered 6 1/4 miles of trail clogged with downed trees just above and beyond the Scenic Lake Trail in order to open up access to the next crew following us in with pack animals as we swapped out tools and headed home.
Thanks to Kirsten for her exemplary leadership and to the whole crew for their hard work and the many laughs. - Cindy Walker. Co-crew Leader

07/31/2026

Seven Idaho Trails Association volunteers car-camped at the lovely Kennally Creek campground for 4 days in late July to work on the Needles Trail Route located about 2 miles from the trailhead at the campground. Each day, our crew hiked 2.5 miles up to where the work started on the Needles Trail. I say up, because the trail climbed about 1000 feet. We cut or removed 80 trees, which included 4 giant tangles of logs of 6-10 trees each! We also installed a water bar. The work was hard--in the blazing heat. And yet, not a complaint was heard. Each evening, we returned to the cool shade of the campground and the refreshing lovely water of Kennally Creek. - Crew Leader Alisa Rettschlag

Photos by: Alisa Rettschlag and Kim Yauchzee

07/30/2026

We still have some spots left on a five-day project on the beautiful Twin Lakes Trail high above Rapid River in central Idaho!
When: August 5-9
Where: Payette National Forest, Rapid River drainage
What: High above Rapid River, volunteers will work on clearing the trails that access Twin Lakes, a pretty lake basin nestled at the base of Echols Mountain. Meeting at the trailhead just east of Huckleberry Campground, we'll hike with day packs and some tools while a packer brings our gear about 4 miles to Bear Saddle, where we'll camp for the first few days while working the trail to Twin Lakes. We'll then move camp ourselves (no pack support) to Twin Lakes and continue working on the Echols Ridge Trail that accesses the lakes from the northeast. These lakes are a hidden gem with great camping! Lots of trails coming from Rapid River intersect here, and we'll work up and down the Twin Lakes Creek and Echols Ridge trails as far as time allows. A packer will come to retrieve our gear on the last day.

Learn more here:

And check out our Trail Spotlight on this incredible trail: https://idahotrailsassociation.org/2026/07/trail-spotlight-twin-lakes/

07/27/2026

Sign up and attend any of the following North Idaho projects in the next month and you will be entered to win a pair of St. Joe River Cruise Tickets (a six hour excursion!) from Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises:

Harrison Lake- July 25-26
Bean Bacon the Sequel- Aug 2-9
Cooks Peak- Aug 8
Cataract Creek -Aug 15-16
Trestle Ridge- Aug 22-23

Or sign up for our Halsey Creek- Youth Project and be entered to win a pair of Silverwood Tickets!

All you need to do to be entered is to sign up for the project. Sign up for multiple projects for additional entries!

Check out all our upcoming trail projects and sign up here: https://idahotrailsassociation.org/projects/

07/27/2026

Our Warm Springs Youth Crew returned to the stunning White Clouds Wilderness this weekend, where alpine peaks, wildflowers, and crystal-clear streams set the backdrop for two days of hard work. Even a major mudslide- and thigh-deep, swift river crossings- couldn’t dampen the crew’s determination to put in good work and get plenty of miles under their boots. By the end of the weekend, they had continued trail work started by another ITA all-girls youth crew last summer, reopening an additional 4.2 miles of trail and removing 42 downed trees along the way.

Working alongside one another, participants strengthened their trail maintenance and wilderness skills; from safely using crosscut saws and reading the landscape to solving problems as a team in a remote backcountry setting. Beyond the technical skills, they learned what it means to be dependable crew members, support one another through challenges, and leave the wilderness better than they found it. 🌲🩷

“I hope these projects show every participant that they belong in outdoor spaces exactly as they are. Having mentors who look like you and have navigated similar experiences can make all the difference in believing that these careers and these adventures are meant for you, too.” — Taylor, Youth Program Coordinator

07/24/2026

Another successful Women in the Wild project, an annual collaboration with our partners at the Wood River Trails Coalition. This past weekend our all-woman crew rerouted and improved a 210 foot section of trail and logged out 10 large trees on the North Fork West Pass trail #115 in the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness.

Photos by: Dagmar Rapp, Gracie Maulik, Kelly Sandusky, and Carith Kamermans

07/23/2026

Escape the heat and smoke! A few spots have opened up on our Rapid River Frank Church Project happening in just a few days.

When: July 26 – August 1
Where: Trail Rapid River Trail #4007 in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
What: There is a lesser-known, but equally impressive, Rapid River that runs through the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. Beginning near historic Seafoam Guard Station, this wild river winds through a spectacular canyon before joining the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Join Idaho Trails Association for a week of trail work in this remote corner of Salmon-Challis National Forest, where you'll help maintain the scenic Rapid River Trail.
We'll camp together in a beautiful aspen grove near Seafoam Guard Station and carpool the final few miles to the trailhead each day. Every morning begins with an exciting river crossing before the trail climbs along the canyon wall, offering dramatic views of the rushing river below. As we travel through forests, rocky talus slopes, and several creek crossings, volunteers will clear fallen trees, brush the trail, and tackle tread repairs where needed. It's a rewarding project in one of Idaho's most rugged and unforgettable landscapes.

Project Name: Rapid River - Frank Church Project Dates: July 26 - August 1 There is a lesser-known, but equally impressive, Rapid River that runs through the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. Starting near Seafoam Guard Station, it cuts through a rugged canyon and ends at the Middle Fork o...