Trail Sisters Trail Work is a volunteer initiative that invites trail users to give back to the open spaces and trails that enrich our lives every day. Whether it’s maintaining trails, removing invasive weeds, or picking up trash, every effort helps in protecting these important places. We encourage all Trail Sisters to volunteer at a trail stewardship event hosted by local land managers, state parks, land trusts, the U.S. Forest Service, and BLM. Because if we benefit from the land, we are also responsible for its future.
Supported By:
Connect with your local group leaders or a group of friends and then reach out to a local land manager. They will provide event opportunities where your support is needed. After the work is complete, submit photos and brief details about the event. The submission will be added below to celebrate your stewardship and encourage others!
Don't have a Local Group near you?
That’s okay! You can still participate by connecting with a local land manager and organizing a trail work day for you and your friends!
Click on the image to learn about tools used in trail building and maintenance.
Yes, we know that giving back is in the heart of all Trail Sisters, but we insist! As a special thank you for your efforts, each participant will receive a commemorative custom Trail Sisters Bandana. Thanks to HOKA for making this possible!
Bandanas will be sent to event organizers to be distributed to the participant group. Due to shipping costs, commemorative bandanas are available to Trail Sisters Local Groups (US and Canada) and groups of 4 or more (non-Trail Sisters Local Group) participants in the US only.
Share your trail work with us!
Leaders and Organizers: Complete the form to add your event to our accomplishments list!
Catskills
Pulaski — A combination axe and adze used for chopping roots and breaking up compacted soil. One of the most versatile and commonly used trail building tools.
McLeod — A dual-sided tool with a rake on one side and a flat hoe on the other, used for clearing debris, smoothing tread, and moving loose material on the trail surface.
Rogue hoe (or trail hoe) — A heavy-duty hoe used for digging, moving soil, and shaping the trail bed, especially effective on harder ground.
Loppers — Long-handled pruning shears used to cut back encroaching brush, branches, and vegetation along the trail corridor.
Handsaw — Used to cut through small to medium fallen trees and branches that have come down across the trail.
Drain blade (or ditch blade) — A flat-bladed tool used to cut and clear water drainage channels, helping redirect water off the trail to prevent erosion.
Mattock — Similar to a pickaxe, used for breaking up rocky or root-filled ground and digging out trail edges and retaining features.
