Trail Blaze: The Blog of Idaho Trails Association

This week we highlight our Women Only Weekends (WOW) and it’s official! WOW has become an official Idaho Trails Association program called ‘Women in the Wild’. This program was unintentionally created last season when ITA partnered with the Boise Bold Betties Chapter for an all-ladies trail maintenance weekend. It was such a success, we decided […]

This week, we would like to highlight a new ITA initiative. As we know, one of the big pushes nationwide is to get America’s youth outside and away from the electronics and sedentary lifestyles. ITA has answered that call by starting our Youth Program for 14 to 18 year olds. With this program, we aim to get our youth into the backcountry to […]

Why Become a Member of Idaho Trails Association? As the snow starts to blanket the high country, we’re planning ITA’s trail projects for 2020. I have to say we had a great season in 2019. We had a record number of volunteers provide time and energy to get the work done, we had a record number […]

It’s going to be 2020 soon! We are in the process of putting together our 2020 projects and it looks like we are going to have some doozies! Have you ever wanted to jetboat up the Salmon River and spend a week in the Gospel Hump? We are working on that opportunity for you! Camp […]

Don’t have a week? We are going to rebuild the bridge at Kirkwood Ranch in Hell’s Canyon! We are planning a weekend in Hell’s canyon at the Kirkwood ranch rebuilding a trail bridge. The plan will be to jetboat up to the ranch from Pittsburg landing and spend 2 days working on the bridge. We […]

Fly into the Frank Church! Have you ever wanted to spend the week in one of the most remote places in the lower 48? We are looking at a flyin project where you will fly from McCall to Cold Meadows on a Monday Morning. The project is clearing the trail through Coyote Springs to Black […]

Join Idaho Trails Association. Idaho is blessed with over 10,000 miles of non-motorized hiking trails on our public lands. These trails take hikers to some of the most beautiful parts of the state. Unfortunately, funding for the care of trails is far short of what is needed to keep them open and usable. ITA is […]

Mark your calendars, it’s party time! Are you a current ITA member or have volunteered with us in the past? We are having two parties to celebrate YOU! Haven’t volunteered with ITA before? No problem. New recruits are welcome as well. Signup to attend one of our volunteer appreciation parties: https://www.idahotrailsassociation.org/volunteerparty/ — May 4, 2019 Volunteer […]

A special thank you to ITA member Larry Callister for a donation of cross cut saws!  We are so thrilled to have these new additions to our tool cache.  The Simonds 513 is going to be limited to shows and demonstrations.  Come give it a try at the Spokane Great Outdoors Expo on February 24th […]

Hello ITA supporters! Did you know if you are a Fred Meyer customer you can help the Idaho Trails Association just by shopping for your daily essentials? It’s true. Just register your Fred Meyer Rewards card on their website, go to the Community Rewards link: https://www.fredmeyer.com/topic/community-rewards-4 then ‘re-enroll or link your Rewards Card now’ and pick […]

The Idaho Centennial Trail takes hikers 900 miles through some of Idaho’s most beautiful places. With the current rise in popularity of long distance hiking, it is high time that the ICT gets the recognition it deserves as one of America’s most rugged and remote hikes. But an increase in hikers means an increased need […]

We here at ITA are proud to have grown beyond our Boise roots into the beautiful backcountry of North Idaho. From the Selkirks to the St. Joe, you’re sure to find some of the most pristine forests in the mountain West. Our volunteers have been hard at work improving trails for all to enjoy. As […]

Without our volunteers, the Idaho Trails Association could not do the important work of keeping public trails open. As part of our 2016 membership drive, we’d like to introduce you to some of the folks that have made our projects so successful and fun. Tobey has volunteered on our Alice-Toxaway project two years running and […]

Become a Steward of Idaho’s Trails Join ITA During Our 7th Annual Membership Drive Dear Idaho Backcountry and Wilderness Trail Lovers: Idaho’s network of backcountry trails leads hikers to and through some of our state’s most beautiful, hidden places. As one of the state’s fastest growing volunteer-driven organizations dedicated to clearing backcountry trails, Idaho Trails […]

On Tuesday, July 26, eleven volunteers helped work on the final sections of the new Bee Top Connector Trail in the Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. This new trail will re-open access to the Bee Top/Round Top Trail #120 from the east end for the first time in many years. The […]

On July 2nd, 2016 ten volunteers donated 80 hours of volunteer time to clear the Hum Lake trail on the Krassel Ranger District of the Payette National Forest. We were met with clear blue skies, temperatures in the 60s and an empty Trailhead.  We started off with introductions and a safety meeting to discuss the day’s […]

On June 25, volunteers with the Idaho Trails Association (ITA) completed maintenance work on the Beehive Lakes Trail in the Sandpoint District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Fourteen ITA members and friends brushed out 4 ½ miles of trail, re-built or re-opened 43 water diversion ditches, and cut out 5 fallen trees that had […]

Our first trail work party of 2016 was another great success. On Friday, April 29, eight volunteers helped the Idaho Trails Association (ITA) do maintenance work on the English Point Trail #80 in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The group cleaned out water bars, cut back brush, cleaned sod off of a raised walkway, and […]

Peter Lovera the Idaho Conservation Leagues’s 2015 Artist in Residence elegantly captured the 2015 Livingston Mill/Castle Divide  trail work vacation that he volunteered on! His words and photos capture how a week of stewardship in Idaho’s wilderness can change you and connect you to the wild. “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, […]

The Boise Weekly published an article about the Idaho Trails Association on July, 2015. It’s a great article on how we got started, our mission, and how we accomplish our mission. Read more here.

Idaho Trails Association trail work project on July 25th & 26th, 2015 was at Hum Lake on the Krassel District of the Payette National Forest. We backpacked into base camp at Hum Lake on Saturday and then divided into two crews and conquered. One group headed north on the trail and did some much needed […]

We are thrilled with the work our volunteers accomplished during this Epic trail work vacation in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Our amazing volunteer crew along with a Forest Service Wilderness Ranger got this staggering list of  accomplishments done! 10-ITA Volunteers contributed 400 hours of volunteer time. Cleared 7 trees from the trail within Wilderness. Resurfaced 1500 […]

National Trails Day 2015 was a success from the start.  Volunteers met at the BLM field Office in Boise and carpooled to the Perjue Canyon Trailhead in the Little Jacks Creek Wilderness.  REI supplied sandwiches, chips and drinks while volunteers provided homemade cookies for the return trip.  15 volunteers made the trip with BLM Recreation […]

We are collaborating with IYWI another Idaho nonprofit organization to get youth outdoors and experience nature! IYWI will create opportunities for Idaho’s youth to experience overnight wilderness adventures provided by trained and equipped adult youth leaders. The mission of IYWI is to create opportunities for Idaho youth to experience overnight wilderness adventures by breaking down […]

The following is a guest blog from Teton hiking trails. Restoration of Jenny Lake Trails Continues in 2015 The Spring 1939 issue of Grand Teton Nature Notes pronounced that “By far the most popular trail in the park is the lower portion of the Cascade Canyon Trail which leaves Jenny Lake and climbs above Hidden […]

Our second trail work party of 2015 was another great success. We had 15 Rock star volunteers come help maintain trail in the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation area.  We partnered with the Payette National Forest Service to work on trail #223 Eckles Creek trail in Hell’s Canyon. We did some heavy trail pad repair and […]

I am going to re-hash the old weight versus taste argument. Do you take whole food or dehydrated? Believe it or not, your body has the answers! Many Rock Climbers will lean towards the freeze dried due to weight and a Backpacker tends to go with the more whole food option Calories are literally energy, […]

Our first trail work party of 2015 was a huge success. We had over 30 volunteers eager to get outside on a gorgeous Saturday in January!  We partnered with the Bruneau Field Office of the BLM to work on the Oolite Interpretive Trail in the Owyhees. We did some minor pruning and signed the 0.5 […]

ITA’sMission Idaho Trails Association promotes the continued enjoyment of Idaho’s hiking trails. The Idaho Trails Association (ITA) is a non-profit organization. ITA’s Purpose: To facilitate the active enjoyment of Idaho’s public lands and hiking trails, the Idaho Trails Association brings together citizens and develops partnerships to foster: Care-taking of Idaho’s hiking trails through stewardship projects, including […]

We have lots of great volunteer projects coming up! To sign up early for one of these projects email intern@idahotrailsassociation.org. In the email make sure to reference the project(s) you want to sign up for. After you sign-up, an ITA representative will be in touch. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the ITA!

The Idaho Trails Association would like to introduce a new monthly update on hiking and snowshoeing trails around Idaho. We’re grateful to be able to utilize materials from Hiking Idaho and other resources. Scott Marchant envisioned a mission for Hiking Idaho to publish guidebooks that make available accurate and inspiring backcountry information. Visit hikingidaho.com to learn […]

This hike is a popular destination in Boise and from Scott Marchant’s book The Hiker’s Guide to Greater Boise. Table Rock Loop Distance: 4.1 miles loop Total Elevation Gain: 900 feet Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 2,750 feet to 3,650 feet Topographic Map: Boise South Time: 1 hour to 30 minutes to 2 hours Season: All […]

Saturday, January 10th is a great opportunity to ski or snowshoe your local state park for free. The park entrance fees will be waived and some parks will have free use of equipment. The activities being offered differ from park-to-park some of the activities being offered are free skiing and snowshoeing lessons, gear demos, guided […]

Are you looking to get out this winter to cross-country ski or snowshoe on Idaho’s wonderful snow trails and not quite sure where to go. Well, you are in luck this article by The Idaho Statesman has many great options for you to explore. http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/11/27/3510571_snow-trails-get-you-into-a-winter.html?rh=1 Photo credit: Idaho Statesman  

The Idaho Trails Association would like to introduce a new monthly addition to its website starting in 2015. Steve Weston, the local Idaho author of “In the Wild Chef”, will be providing valuable monthly cooking tips for your outdoor adventures. He will also provide blogs ranging from in-the field cooking instructions to yummy recipes! We […]

  A couple of ITA members spent the weekend of 12/6/14 in the City of Rocks south of Burley Idaho camping and hiking the trails.  The weather was in the 50s with cool nights and great hiking!  The trails were open and soft, only a little ice in the deep shaded areas, but overall a […]

OK, So the weather got the best of us and we had to cancel the 2014 Volunteer Appreciation Party that was to be held at Sockeye Brewing in Boise.  We are planning on rescheduling for the Spring of 2015, maybe late April where we can be outside, have a BBQ, fun, and Great Raffle Prizes!  […]

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act, so it was only appropriate to spend National Trails Day in the Bruneau-Jarbridge Rivers Wilderness. Last year we carried out trail work on Roberson Trail West and this year we continued that work by tackling Roberson Trail East. This was our fourth […]

Where: Idaho Panhandle National Forest When: Wednesday, July 9th Distance: 6 miles round trip Elevation: 1600′ gain/descent Location: West Cabinet Mountains Level of Difficulty: Moderate Volunteers: 15 Project Description Come join ITA for a one-day project in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest on July 9th. We will be constructing a puncheon walkway to go over a bog hole  about a mile from the […]

Where: Sawtooth National Forest When: Monday-Friday, June 16-20th Distance: Elevation: Location: North Fork Big Wood River Level of Difficulty: Moderate Volunteers:   Project Description This will be a fun project! ITA volunteers will car camp at a beautiful site and travel each day to the following trails for this early-season trail opening project! Murdock Creek, […]