Change of Plans for National Trails Day – New Location!

Due to a cooler-than-expected spring, the BMLT Blues Crew is making a small shift in our plans for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 7.

Instead of heading to the Umatilla Rim Trail, we’ll now be focusing our efforts on the North Fork of the Umatilla River Trail — a stunning, lower-elevation route that’s more accessible this time of year and in need of some much-deserved TLC.

We’ll work our way up the trail about 2 miles, clearing overgrown brush and restoring tread in areas where erosion has taken a toll. It’s going to be a rewarding day of hands-on stewardship in a beautiful setting, and we’d love to have you join us!

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Celebrate National Trails Day by volunteering for public lands! Join the BMLT Blues Crew for a day clearing fallen trees, overgrown brush and doing a bit of tread work on one of the most popular trails in our area, the Umatilla Rim Trail.

The Umatilla Rim trail is used by hikers, bikers, horseback riders, dirt bikers and also snowshoers in the winter. With so many user groups, it’s no wonder this trail is so popular. It is nearly 10 miles long and mostly follows the top of the plateau, giving amazing views into the wilderness drainages at every turn. Winter is tough on this trail, lots of trees fall under the weight of snow and the power of wind gusts. Much of our work will be cutting and removing those fallen trees. Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of wood cutting experience, we will have several certified sawyers on the team.

The fertile soil and the spring sun allow a lot of brush to grow right into the trail, so we will spend time clearing the brush so people can easily stay on the trail. There are some parts of the trail where the tread is in need of repair.

Be a part of this exciting volunteer opportunity, and join thousands of other trail loving people across the country on National Trails Day! We’ll have fun, work hard, and make a difference. No experience is necessary.

Check out more information about the trail

Questions? Get in touch with Craig Piefer at craig@bmlt.org.

Trip Details:

• Volunteer work to accomplish:

  🌲 Brush and widen several areas

  🌲 Remove any fallen trees

  🌲 Rebuild tread where the trail has washed out

• What it takes to do this work party:

  • Tolerance for hard work and backcountry conditions.

  • No specific trail work experience is necessary—bring a great attitude for working with a team! 

  • BMLT Blues Crew leaders and USFS partners will provide training and tools as needed

  • Expect to be physically active at your own pace for up to 6 hours

  • Be able to hike 3 to 4 miles on rocky terrain and climb 350ft while carrying necessary tools

  • Recommended for ages 14 and older

• Meeting location:

  Please arrive at USFS Ranger District Office parking lot at 1415 W Rose Street, Walla Walla at 8am Saturday to carpool to the trailhead.  If you’re willing to drive, please arrive with a full gas tank.  Please be prepared to share gas costs with your volunteer driver on the return trip (bring cash.)

• Schedule:

  Schedule:

  Saturday

  8:00 am: Arrive at Walla Walla Ranger Station

  8:10 am: Arrange carpool and head up to Tollgate

  9:15 am: Arrive at Horseshoe Prairie

  9:20 am: Stretch and safety talk

  9:35 am: Divide up and set out to do trail work

  12:00 pm: Break for Lunch

  12:40 pm: Back at it!

  3:30 pm: Shut down work for the day

  3:50 pm: Everyone back to the vehicle they came up in and head out

  5:00 pm: Arrive back at Walla Walla Ranger Station

• What to wear:

  ✅ Boots – no sneakers or sandals during work hours

  ✅ Long pants and long-sleeved shirt

  ✅ Rain gear

  ✅ Work gloves and eye protection (glasses, sunglasses)

  ✅ Ticks can be present: bring DEET for self, Permethrin for clothes

  *** BMLT Blues Crew Supplied: Safety gear, first aid kit, hard hat, tools

• What to bring:

  ✅ Daypack backpack

  ✅ Lunch

  ✅ Water bottle - suggest 64 ounces of water

  ✅ Warm clothing for wet/cold weather

  ✅ Trail snacks

  ✅ Personal care items

  Blues Crew practices Leave No Trace™ principles -- please bring what you need to comply.

• Trip notes:

  ⚠️ Pets are not to accompany volunteers due to work safety concerns.
  
  ⚠️ Please fill out the liability waiver and email to craig@bmlt.org or print and bring with you to the work party!

  ⚠️ Please stay home if you are feeling unwell.
  
  ⚠️ BMLT Blues Crew practices Leave No Trace™ principles.

  ⚠️ Is this your first volunteer trail work party? Check out this short video on ‘What to Expect and How to Stay Safe’

• Contact information:

  For more information, contact us at craig@bmlt.org or blues-crew@bmlt.org or 509-525-3136.

Presented in partnership with United States Forest Service.