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Hood River Area Trail Stewards: Newsletter for June 23, 2026

By White Lotus Sports on June 24, 2026 • ( 0 )

Hello Trail Lovers,

Summer has officially arrived, and what a spring it has been. The trails have delivered some incredible riding conditions, and judging by the smiles we’ve seen out on the network, our community has been making the most of them. Those great conditions are a combination of what Mother Nature provides and the countless hours our volunteers invest in building and maintaining the trails we all enjoy.

While our spring work party season is behind us, there is still plenty of brushing to be done. And with plans to build new trails this fall and continue improving existing ones, the need for volunteer support never slows down. If you’re looking for a way to give back to the trails that give us so much, we’d love to have your help.

Be sure to check out the Brushing Work Party Report below for more details and upcoming opportunities to get involved.

In this edition:

Brushing Work Party Report
Hood River County Forestry (HRCF) Parking Permit Fee Change
Website Enhancements
June 27 Falls Creek Work Party
Families at Family Man
Upcoming Public Meetings

Brushing Work Party Report

A huge thank you to the 20 volunteers who joined our recent brushing work party. In just four hours, the crew cleared nearly five miles of trail, restoring sight lines and reclaiming riding corridors that had quickly filled in with spring growth.

What many riders don’t see is how much effort goes into maintaining even a single mile of trail. One crew of six volunteers spent four hours brushing approximately one mile of trail on Toilet Bowl and Chuck Line. That’s 24 volunteer hours for a single mile.

And the work didn’t stop when the organized work party ended.

Several volunteers have continued putting in substantial time on their own. Two volunteers recently completed all of Kleeway, investing roughly 15 hours of additional work. Another dedicated trail steward has already logged an estimated 15–20 hours brushing Mobius and continues to make progress.

These efforts are greatly appreciated, but they also highlight the scale of the challenge ahead.

Today, HRATS helps HRC and Trail Adopters maintain approximately 34 miles of non-motorized trail in Post Canyon. With more than 10 additional miles expected to be added in the coming years through Hood River County Forestry efforts, our trail system is growing faster than our volunteer workforce.

The math is simple: maintaining dozens of miles of trail requires hundreds of volunteer hours every year. The incredible trail conditions we enjoy don’t happen by accident. They exist because volunteers show up with loppers, saws, and a willingness to give back.

As our network expands, so does the need for trail stewards. Whether you can spare a few hours at a work party or adopt a favorite trail for occasional maintenance, every hour makes a difference. Interested in helping? Reply to this email and we’ll get you connected.

The trails don’t maintain themselves—and the future quality of our trail system depends on all of us.

Hood River County Forestry (HRCF) Parking Permit Fee Change

HRCF has been instructed by the 2026 County Budget Committee to increase the cost of the annual & daily parking permits, effective July 1, 2026, to help cover administrative overhead costs for our recreation trails. The HRCF Recreational Trails Committee reviewed the fee structure at the June 5th meeting and, in consideration of the background provided by the County Administrator, advised on the changes.

New 2026 prices:

Annual Permits: $45 (available online & at vendors)
OHV Annual Permits: $35 w/ ATV Sticker at OHV vendors. (not available online)
Daily Permits: $10 per day (available only online)
Parking Permit Citation: $100 (includes annual pass) starting July 1, 2026.

An additional 2.9%+.30? credit card processing fee will be collected by Stripe for all online orders.

Why the increase?
Hood River County (HRC) projects a $2.7 million budget shortfall over the next year. Rising operational costs, stagnant revenue, and a decline in federal funding are key drivers. Information regarding HRC 26/27 budget can be found here: Budget Meeting Information – Official Website for Hood River County, OR

The HRCF Recreational Trails Team does not receive funding from the County general fund, so parking permit fees are a major source of revenue. This increase is part of HRCF’s Recreational Trails Team’s broader effort to sustain & grow multi-use recreational trail access, manage congestion, and adapt to financial pressures.

Tips for visitors

Buy annual permits now to avoid the higher rates: Parking Passes | Hood River County
Annual permits are transferable between vehicles, but only valid in the vehicle in which they are displayed.
Annual permits are valid at all HRCF Staging Areas from the date of purchase until December 31steach year.

The fee paid for parking permits is a parking fee, as that term is defined in ORS 105.672(1)(c). It is not a fee for entry upon, recreational use, or access to any County property or Fee Parking Zone.

Looking forward
You can expect to hear more about concepts aimed at addressing the County’s budget dilemma. Some of these concepts would rely on residents, while others will focus on the 4 million annual visitors to our community. We encourage everyone to attend public meetings on the matter as they are scheduled and contribute to finding solutions.

Website Enhancements

Have you visited the HRATS website lately? We’ve recently added a couple of new features that make it easier to stay informed and connected with the trail community.

Email Archives

All HRATS newsletters and email announcements are now archived on our website—and they’re searchable.

Trying to remember that article about cougar sightings? Looking for the latest updates on Whoopdee? Instead of digging through old emails, you can now quickly search our archive and find what you’re looking for in seconds.

You can access the Email Archives from the main menu or by clicking here.

Events Calendar

We’ve also added a community events calendar to help you stay up to date on trail work parties, group rides, meetings, and other events of interest.

You can find the calendar from the main menu, by clicking here, or by subscribing directly from your favorite calendar app using this subscription link: https://calendars.jfmt-pdx.net/remote.php/dav/public-calendars/s2AJHoHfPsyioEip?export

We Want Your Feedback

HRATS welcomes constructive feedback on our website and its features. If you have suggestions, spot an issue, or have ideas for future improvements, simply reply to this email. We read every message we receive.

June 27 Falls Creek Work Party

Charles Kim is leading a trail maintenance day at Falls Creek on June 27, and we’re looking for a strong crew of volunteers to help get this amazing trail ready for another season of riding.

Falls Creek is one of the Northwest’s classic rides. Its long climbs, high-elevation views, waterfalls, and epic descents have earned it a place on just about every mountain biker’s bucket list. But because it’s such a long trail, keeping it in great shape takes a lot of hands.

With a solid team of volunteers, we can dial in this incredible trail and ensure riders continue to enjoy one of the region’s premier mountain bike adventures.

Whether you’re a Falls Creek regular or have been meaning to check it off your ride list, this is a great opportunity to give back and spend a day with fellow riders who care about our trails.

Please see the sign-up link below for additional details and registration.

Thank you in advance for your help and for everything you do to support our trail community. Every lopper swing, shovel scoop, and smile on the trail helps keep places like Falls Creek special.

Families at Family Man

Families at Family Man has been another fantastic success. We’ve seen tremendous turnout, lots of smiling riders, and countless kids building confidence and skills on bikes. It’s also been fun to watch the excitement surrounding the weekly raffle prizes.

If you haven’t made it out yet, there’s still time!

We have two more Thursdays remaining this season: June 25 and July 2. The season finale on July 2 will feature Familias at Family Man, a special evening focused on welcoming and celebrating our Spanish-speaking community.

Whether you’re returning for another evening of riding or joining us for the first time, we hope you’ll come out and be part of the fun. Bring your family, bring a friend, and help us close out another great season of Families at Family Man.

Upcoming Public Meetings

If you’d like to better understand the decisions and discussions that shape our trail system—or simply have your voice heard—the best way is to show up. Here are two upcoming meetings of interest to the trail community:

HRATS Board of Directors Meeting