National Trails Day celebrates partnerships between user groups and public agencies in building and maintaining hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Celebrate our local off-road biking opportunities by pitching in at two work parties on systems that wouldn't exist if not for such collaboration.

The Buck Creek trail system in Washington was almost single-handedly saved by Ted Dodd. When Dodd, who owns a cabin near the trails, discovered the routes they were all but abandoned. Only four miles of the original 26-mile loop was useable. Washington's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had stopped maintaining the trails, so Dodd took it upon himself after receiving permission from the agency. After a few months, he realized that the effort was beyond his capabilities, "so I asked for help," says Dodd. He began organizing work parties with friends and the Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates. "The work parties got a lot more productive when I applied the knowledge I found in the IMBA's Trail Guide," says Dodd.  "In it I learned how to do trail maintance, how to recruit volunteers, how to organize an event, and how to make it fun (so that volunteers will want to come back)."

A few years later, through frequent work parties with CAMBA, NWTA, the Backcountry Horsemen Association of Washington, and the Northwest Service Academy, Dodd has successfully re-opened three-quarters of the original loop. The June 5 work party will not only open a brand new section, but will be a celebration of the cooperation between all the volunteers who've reclaimed this wonderful section of trail. For a map of the area check out the NWTA maps page (SW Washington-other heading).

That same day, a similar ride and work party will occur at Sandy Ridge, serving as the official dedication to the newly constructed trail system, a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management, IMBA and NWTA. Come on out to either event and help celebrate these remarkable contributions to the region's mountain biking fare.