Trailkeepers of Oregon is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and enhance the Oregon hiking experience through advocacy, stewardship, outreach and education. The Trailkeeprs of Oregon has been around since 2006, and started out as an online community forum of avid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The online forum has evolved and grown into the Oregon Hikers Forum, a free online forum and resource hosted by TKO and maintained by dozens of volunteer authors. At CNOC, we use the Oregon Hikers Field Guide to plan our hikes and outdoor activities.
The Trailkeepers of Oregon are also serious about trail health, and as the pandemic has disrupted normal life, the outdoors have become a popular place. With fewer entertainment options available during the last few months - limited baseball, concerts, summer camps, road-trips - being outside hiking, camping and experiencing nature is one of the safest activities we can enjoy during the Covid19 pandemic. Studies have shown that participation rates in the outdoors during the summer months of 2020 versus the same period in 2019 saw an increase of 8.4%. Trailheads are crowded, and even in the middle of the week, it is hard to find a trail that isn’t bustling. At CNOC Outdoors, we love being outside hiking, and encourage others to do the same. We think that being outside makes us better people. One downside to the increased numbers of outdoor recreators is the added impact on trails and natural areas.
The Trailkeepers of Oregon work to keep Oregon’s trails maintained and advocate to restore proper funding for trails management in the state. Most of Oregon’s trails were built more than 80 years ago and almost all are currently maintained by volunteers. In 2019, TKO improved 299,251 feet of trail, hosted 379 stewardship events, and recruited over 3,600 volunteers. TKO organizes and leads trail advocacy efforts and volunteer trail maintenance activities. CNOC Outdoors is proud to support the Trail Keepers of Oregon, and the important work they do to keep our trails and public lands healthy. In 2020, CNOC Outdoors participated in a Trail Party with TKO where we worked to restore a heavily eroded section of the Oregon Coast Trail in Oswald West State Park. We also donated money and products to support TKOs Legacy Builders 2020 giving campaign.