Forum: Volunteers build, maintain trails that let us explore

Published 1:30 am Saturday, August 12, 2023

By Matthew Leger / Herald Forum

Looking at the Puget Sound’s mountains and hills, one will see miles of biking and hiking trails etched into the terrain. Millions of people use these trails to explore nature, get exercise and unwind; as well as connect with friends and family without the stresses of life getting in the way.

Millions of people use these trails, yet very few dedicate themselves to the maintenance of the trails.

Evan Pierce, who started by riding and working on the Tapeworm mountain bike trails network in Renton, has become a community leader in the Everett mountain biking scene, primarily in Japanese Gulch, near Mukilteo.

I asked him where his passion for maintaining and expanding local trail systems came from.

“It was a way for me to help others have good trails to ride, and to make some friends,” he said. “It gives me a huge sense of belonging to the community of trail users.”

Evan also brings his kids along.

“By bringing them along they learn to build with me and have some ownership of what we’re doing,” he said.

Evan acknowledged with a chuckle that at their young age the work can take a lot longer, but in the end, it’s worth it.

“They’ve developed into actual trail builders and great riders.”

The Japanese Gulch trail builders, led by Evan, are deep into a dirt jump project with the city. It is a volunteer-led project that hopes to get people outdoors and into nature. Their projects, just like any in Washington, need volunteers. Ongoing projects like the Japanese Gulch trails in Mukilteo are great ways to get involved in the community, but picking up trash, brushing leaves, and simply getting on the trails also support them.

If you want to get involved in the maintenance world of trails, there are many great ways to do so. Major organizations, like the Washington Trails Association and Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, plan “build parties” and events to make volunteering easy. Hiking and biking are great ways to relax in this stressful world; getting involved in the effort to allow these privileges is a great way to give back to your community, and make some friends along the way.

Matthew Leger will be a junior this fall at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo. He is writing essays for Herald Forum about nonprofit groups in Snohomish County.