Trails Day at the Capitol 2026 Recap
- Steph Noll
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Our deepest thanks to the 90+ trails volunteers, professionals, and advocates who joined us at the Oregon Capitol on Monday, February 9th to speak with legislators on behalf of the more than 80% of Oregonians who use and love our trails!
First we gathered at Pringle City Park and Community Hall for a welcome from Representative Emerson Levy of Central Oregon and a training on the issues and how to navigate the Capitol, including briefings from representatives of Tualatin Riverkeepers, Oregon State Snowmobile Association, and Oregon Walks.
From there, the team headed the half mile to Oregon's Capitol for scheduled small group meetings with legislators and staff in 64 different legislative offices and an open-to-all Trail Mix(er) in the Capitol with a build-your-own trail mix bar, and great info about Oregon's beloved trails.
The focus of our legislative meetings:
Sharing support for SB 1593-A to balance recreation liability laws in line with our neighboring states and reduce liability risks and insurance costs for Oregon organizations and businesses leading volunteer stewardship activities and outdoor programs. We let legislators know it is critical for the legislation to include all Oregon families by including guardian-signed waivers.
Sharing how multi-use paths are a critical part of our transportation networks, and how we must preserve the precious little funding that currently exists. We also shared support for the passage of transportation accountability measures SB 1542 and SB 1543 in 2026 and a funding increase for Oregon Community Paths in 2027.
We shared the great work being done on trails by volunteers and staff around the state, and how great trails connect Oregonians to our state’s amazing natural beauty, provide affordable access to recreation and fitness for all ages, and present an incredible ROI for Oregon’s outdoor recreation and tourism economy. We need to invest in the development and stewardship of our communities' trails!
Big thanks to the rest of the 2026 Trails Day Core Team, Jessica, Jessica, Chelsea, and Gavin, and all of our participants and sponsors!
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