We Love Idaho Trails
As the voice for hikers, Idaho Trails Association promotes the conservation and enjoyment of Idaho’s backcountry on foot.
ITA is a nonprofit that works with volunteers, organizations, and government partners to preserve Idaho’s incredible trail system through education, maintenance projects, and public lands advocacy. Join us in our mission to keep Idaho’s hiking trails open for all!
Caretaking of Trails
Caretaking of Trails
Since ITA began, we’ve completed nearly 400 trail stewardship projects with the help of hundreds of volunteers.
Education and Awareness
Education and Awareness
ITA educates the public about the stewardship of our recreation areas and following Leave No Trace principles.
Advocacy and Protection
Advocacy and Protection
As the voice for Idaho’s hiking community, ITA works to conserve trails and keep public lands public.
Traditional Skills
Traditional Skills
Crew leaders teach volunteers the safe use of hand tools on every project to keep trails open in the front and backcountry.
Our Mission: To keep Idaho’s hiking trails open for all
Idaho’s extensive trail system is vital for those who seek adventure and solitude in Idaho’s outdoors. Idaho Trails Association brings together volunteers, organizations, and government partners to stand strong and work hard for Idaho’s trails.
Volunteer with ITA
We need hikers, bikers, equestrians, hunters, and public lands enthusiasts of all kinds to join us on trail maintenance projects across the state of Idaho. Give back to your trails by volunteering for a day, weekend or weeklong project in some of the most beautiful landscapes Idaho has to offer. Our experienced crew leaders will teach you everything you need to know about maintaining trails using traditional trail maintenance tools. Find adventure and give back to your public lands!
We host special projects for women, youth, veterans, and more. Check out our FAQs about volunteering or the full list of upcoming projects to find the right one for you.
“There are a lot of things I love about volunteering with ITA! From the smell of freshly-cut everything to being able to explore little-known spectacular Wilderness areas to opening up new/old trails for everyone to explore. I also love all the people that I have met through my ITA experiences. There’s just something magical about quickly forming a team, slowing down to nature’s pace, putting in some hard work on trails together, dealing with and/or accepting whatever weather arrives, and then being able to share stories back at camp or even back at home later.” – ITA Crew Leader Bryce Campbell
In 2025, 943 ITA volunteers completed 98 trail work projects.
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Follow us on Instagram @IdahoTrailsAssociation
Please join us in welcoming our newest team member, Taylor Mailly! 🎉
Taylor is joining ITA as our Youth Program Coordinator and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board. She’ll be leading the growth and expansion of our Youth Trail Crew Program across Idaho, helping empower the next generation of trail stewards and outdoor leaders.
We kicked things off with a great meet-and-greet with our Boise-area youth last night and the energy and enthusiasm were contagious. With Taylor’s leadership, we’re looking ahead to an amazing trail season filled with learning, teamwork, and meaningful work on the ground.
Welcome to the ITA family, Taylor—we’re so glad you’re here!
🎉Woohoo! 🎉
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who supported our Membership Drive and helped us pass our fundraising goal to raise $68,367. Because of your generosity, passion, and belief in the power of trails, we’ve officially reached an incredible milestone: 1,000 ITA MEMBERS!
We are beyond excited—and deeply grateful—to be part of a community that shows up so strongly for the trails we all love. Every membership represents someone who cares about protecting access and giving back to Idaho’s trails.
This milestone is a testament to you and the collective impact we can make together. Thank you for being part of the ITA family and for helping keep our trails open and thriving. Here’s to the miles ahead in 2026!
Interested in learning about ITA's Youth program for ages 14-18? We will be hosting an informational meeting for youth volunteers to preview the 2026 season and come meet Taylor, our new Youth Program Coordinator.
When: Monday, January 12, 7-8:30pm MT
Where: Home of Barry & Leann Miller, 5696 W. Gate House Ct., Boise, ID 83703
Please RSVP to Taylor at taylor@idahotrailsassociation.org!
🌲 Last chance to support Idaho’s trails! 🌲
Our ITA Membership Drive ends tonight at midnight, and we’re so close to our goal thanks to our many amazing supporters. This is your final opportunity to join or renew and be part of the community that shows up for trail stewardship, volunteer crews, and access to the places we all love.
Your membership makes a real, on-the-ground difference—clearing trails, building community, and protecting Idaho’s outdoor spaces for the year ahead.
Join or renew before midnight and help us finish strong!
See link in our profile to learn more.
Donate to our Membership Drive before the end of the year and you’ll be entered to win one of three awesome prizes:
1. A Mystery Ranch 90L Mission Duffle Bag plus a set of three Mystery Ranch Zoid Bags (a $300 value)
2. A pair of Lookout Pass lift tickets
3. Four Spokane Chiefs Hockey Club tickets
Your donation helps support trail stewardship, volunteer crews, and access to Idaho’s trails—and comes with a chance to win something fun, too.
Give before year’s end to support the trails you love and be entered to win!
See link in profile to learn more.
Thanks to your support in 2025, more volunteers showed up, more trail projects took place, and ITA crews cleared more miles of trail than ever before.
What began as just two projects fifteen years ago has grown into 98 projects completed this year—a testament to the power of community.
Join us in 2026 as we continue to make a difference for trails across the state! Our Membership Drive ends in just a few days and we’d love your support as we work to keep trails open.
https://idahotrailsassociation.org/campaigns/2025-membership-drive/
As a thank-you to our supporters, anyone who donates $100 or more during the ITA Annual Membership Drive will receive our ITA 2026 12-month wall calendar!
The calendar features some of our favorite photos from 2025 trail projects, showcasing the incredible backcountry places your support helps care for. It’s a year’s worth of trail inspiration—and a reminder of the impact you’re making for Idaho’s trails.
Supplies are limited, so be sure to donate soon if you’d like one. Thank you for being part of the ITA community!
https://idahotrailsassociation.org/campaigns/2025-membership-drive/
Happy Holidays from your friends at Idaho Trails Association!
As the year wraps up and Idaho’s trails settle in for winter, we want to send a huge THANK YOU to our amazing supporters, donors, members, and volunteers. Because of you, trails were cleared, miles were reopened, new stewards found their stride, and countless memories were made out on Idaho’s public lands.
We hope your holidays are filled with warmth, good company, and maybe even a snowy (fingers crossed!) trail or two. Here’s to rest, reflection, and dreaming up new adventures for the year ahead.
With gratitude and holiday cheer,
The ITA Board & Staff
Win a cozy winter getaway to Burgdorf Hot Springs! ♨️❄️
Need a little motivation to give back (and warm up)? Anyone who donates to Idaho Trails Association’s Membership Drive between December 22–28 will be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to Burgdorf Hot Springs—one of Idaho’s most iconic backcountry soaks. Imagine relaxing in steaming pools, surrounded by snow, knowing your support helped keep Idaho’s trails open and accessible.
Your gift fuels trail maintenance, volunteer projects, education, and advocacy across the state—and this week, it could also earn you a well-deserved soak.
See link in profile to learn more!
@burgdorfhotsprings
This past spring, a small but mighty ITA crew took on a big challenge deep in the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. Five ITA volunteers and one cook, alongside one Forest Service trail crew leader, jet-boated and flew to a remote stretch of the Salmon River Trail to help repair a section that had been hammered by severe washouts and rockslides. Heavy erosion, caused by intense rainstorms within the footprint of the 2023 Elkhorn Fire, had wiped out large segments of trail between Bargamin Creek and Rattlesnake Creek.
This section of trail is part of the Idaho Centennial Trail and serves as a vital corridor through the heart of the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. The trail links historic homesteads, guest ranches, and sandy river beaches—iconic places that would become far harder to reach without a passable trail.
The ITA crew was joined by Nez Perce–Clearwater National Forest Trail Specialist Noel Payne, who guided volunteers through the technical work required to rebuild the trail. Together, they rolled enormous rocks into washed-out channels, constructed rubble walls to restore the tread, and used grip hoists and cables to move boulders weighing thousands of pounds. Remote work in designated wilderness requires expertise in using non-mechanized tools, and Noel’s technical skillset was essential to this project.
On remote trails like this, major damage can quickly spiral into permanent loss. Without timely intervention, erosion worsens, users disappear, and entire routes can fade back into the landscape. Thanks to ITA and partners like the Selway Bitterroot–Frank Church Foundation, who also worked several hitches in this area, this trail has a fighting chance.
Looking ahead, ongoing cuts to federal trail funding and Forest Service trail staff put more trails at risk than ever before. As we plan for 2026, we’re facing a growing mountain of work. Will you stand with us? Your support helps make projects like this possible—and keeps Idaho’s most wild and meaningful trails from slipping away. Donate today during ITA’s Annual Membership Drive to help us save Idaho’s trails!
👉See link in our profile to learn more about becoming a member.