Community & Volunteer Engagement

Dedicated to providing the most inspiring recreational experience for all!

The TRTA wouldn’t be what it is today without our community and volunteers. The Trail and Association exist because of the dreams and dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteers planning, building, and maintaining a trail around Lake Tahoe. Starting in 1984, volunteers broke ground and began constructing the trail, an effort which took until 2001 and over 200,000 hours to complete the initial 165-mile loop. 

The vision of the Association is to ensure Tahoe’s wild places, iconic landscapes, and diverse wildlife is just as phenomenal in the future as it is today.

Today the trail system consists of more than 180 miles and has well over 400,000 users each year. The twenty-four inch wide, single-track trail system is open to hiking, equestrians, and mountain biking (in most areas) and traverses the ridge tops surrounding the Lake Tahoe Basin, crossing six counties and two states. New connector trails have been constructed to allow for easier access to the trail for communities in the Tahoe Basin and Northern Nevada. The Tahoe Rim Trail has become an indispensable community resource!

We are a Service Enterprise!

The TRTA was recently certified through Nevada Volunteers as Nevada’s second Service Enterprise. This recognition demonstrates that we outfit the most efficient use of volunteer power. Learn more here.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and we work to incorporate them into all aspects of our work.

 
Crew Leaders & Trail Workers

Not only responsible for combating the effects of day-to-day use but these volunteers help us respond to events such as heavy rain or wind that continues to make a significant impact on the trail annually. This is a vast undertaking that can only succeed with the dedication of our committed volunteers.

Guides

Volunteer guides share their knowledge and passion for the trail with new and beginning trail users almost year-round. Our team of experienced Trail Guides lead everything from snowshoe treks, to short day hikes, to overnight backpacking courses, and even more extensive thru hikes of the entire Tahoe Rim Trail.  Volunteer guides are trained on guiding and interpretation, Tahoe Basin ecology, group dynamics, and Leave No Trace ethics.

Office & Outreach

Office and outreach volunteers are really one of a kind. Listing all the accomplishments they continuously help staff with would be impossible. Major behind the scenes planning, winter projects and preparation, countless data entry, and admin tasks are just a few. Many of our office volunteers also help with outreach by educating community members on sustainable trail use as well as recruiting members to practice in trail programming.

Board of Directors

Strong leadership comes from the top led by our TRTA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors provides guidance, over-sight, and governance of day to day operations. Many TRTA board members sit on multiple committees and double as leaders of our programs. Without the help and sound guidance of the TRTA board the Association wouldn’t be where it is today.