October 22-24, 2026, Ashland, Oregon
REGISTER | EVENT APP | AGENDA | LODGING AND TRAVEL INFO | SPONSORS | TICKET INFO
The 2026 Summit will take place Thursday-Saturday, October 22-24, in Ashland, Oregon and surrounding areas. The summit combines fun and high impact in-person networking opportunities with conference programming on the important issues of the day, educational content (learning credits available!), trails stewardship work parties, and in-field tours and workshops.
Oregon’s trails, mountain ranges, scenic rivers, valleys, and canyons, high desert, and iconic coast are treasured by Oregonians and visitors alike. Access to nature and outdoor recreation is foundational to our health and happiness. The outdoors can simultaneously be our refuge to get away from it all and a gathering force to build lifelong, joy-filled connections with each other and with the ecosystems that sustain us. Oregon outdoor recreation is foundational to our communities: driving our state’s tourism economy, nurturing a thriving web of local businesses and community partnerships, building understanding of our relationship with the natural world, creating a foundation for a shared sense of identity and belonging.
The summit will bring together Oregon’s outdoor community to learn, build relationships, and find solutions to the challenges we face in developing and elevating outdoor recreation opportunities to best serve Oregon communities and celebrate and protect our natural, cultural, and historic wonders. The Summit seeks to accelerate efforts around:
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Access & Reconnection to Nature: Increasing inclusion and belonging in the outdoors close to home and in Oregon’s iconic landscapes, addressing barriers to access and fostering community resilience, enhancing physical and mental health outcomes, deepening understanding and respect for the ecosystems that sustain us.
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Sustainable Recreation: Environmentally responsible recreation, sustainable trails development, destination stewardship, planning, and management that promotes conservation, adapts to climate change impacts, and ensures long-term sustainability, Treaty Rights, and cultural respect.
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Economic Prosperity: Fostering strong local and statewide outdoor recreation and tourism economies, creating jobs, strengthening career pathways, supporting local businesses, and promoting equitable economic opportunities within Oregon's outdoor recreation sector.
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Creativity & Innovation: Cultivating effective cross-sector partnerships, movement building, resilience, and agile problem-solving, emerging research, and fresh and creative approaches to meet an ever-changing landscape.
2026 Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities Available! Contact: chelsea@oregontrailscoalition.org
2026 Summit Schedule: For best experience, sign-in to the Whova web app.
You can also view the full summit agenda here.
Wednesday, October 21st: Pre-Summit Events
11:30-6:30 pm: Guides and Outfitters Training hosted by Travel Oregon
1:00-4:00 pm Federal Stewardship Partners Mini-Summit
5:00-6:15 pm: Oregon Trails Coalition Annual Meeting (all welcome!)
Thursday, October 22nd: Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summit
7:00-11:30am: In-Field and Conference Center Workshops
9:30am-noon: Conference Check-In
11:30-1:45pm: Networking Lunch, Welcome & Opening Keynote
1:45-2:00: Exhibitor Break
2:00-4:20pm: Breakout Sessions & Networking
4:30-5:30pm: Closing Plenary Session
6:30pm - Late: Networking Dinner & Party
Friday, October 23rd: Sessions, Office Hours
7:45-8:45 am: Breakfast
8:30-9:30am: Oregon Outdoor Recreation Community Updates Plenary
9:30am-12:30pm: Breakout Sessions & Open Office Hours
12:30-1:30pm: Networking Lunch
1:40-5:30pm: Breakout Sessions, Workshops & Summit Closing Reception
Saturday, October 24th: Field Day
9:00am-3:00pm: Local trail stewardship events, in-field learning, & off-site community events
Learning Credits Available! We excited to partner with American Trails to offer free learning credits to attendees (included in the registration fee). The length of the session will determine the number of credits given. American Trails is a certified provider and can offer the following credits: AICP CM, LA CES (most HSW approved), SAF CE, as well as equivalency petition (CEU, PDH, etc.) for other accepting organizations.
ADA Accommodations: We value your participation in the summit! All summit event venues are ADA accessible. Interpreters and other accommodations are available upon request. Please reach out to chelsea@oregontrailscoalition.org with questions or accommodations requests for summit session and/or field sessions.
2026 Registration: Register on Whova
Registration Fees:
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Presenter: $325 (Professional)/$225 (Volunteer/Student/Small Org)
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Full Summit Professional : Early Bird: $350; Standard: $400; Late: $450
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Full Summit Volunteer/Student/Small Org: Early Bird: $250; Standard: $300
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One-Day Only Professional: $230
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One-Day Only Volunteer/Student/Small Org: $155
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One-day, half, and full scholarships available.
Refunds
Summit registrations are refundable, less a $30 fee to cover administrative costs, up until our meal counts are due two weeks before the event. We are happy to transfer a registration to a colleague, partner, or scholarship recipient at any time.
Scholarship Funds & Discounts
Limited scholarships will be available for one-day, half, and full attendance. While these resources are limited, we will accommodate as many requests as we can and continue to work on identifying additional sponsors for the event. If you would like to support the ability for others to attend, please reach out to chelsea@oregontrailscoalition.org
In addition to our scholarship program, we offer a discounted rate for volunteers, students, and small organizations for the event, which does not require a scholarship application. Please register with this reduced rate if you are able.
Scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis with our first applicant review taking place on August 24th, 2026. Complete the Scholarship Application here.
Whova
The Whova event app is your go-to resource for navigating the event, with the latest agenda, speaker information, announcements, and session materials all in one place. You can also connect with other attendees, coordinate carpools, exchange messages, and receive real-time event updates throughout the Summit.
We encourage all attendees to download the app in advance of the event to make the most of their Summit experience.
Lodging
Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites is the host hotel and primary venue for the duration of the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summit October 22 - 24th. Reserve your room by Wednesday, September 30th, to receive the conference group rate.
Use this booking link or call to make your reservation over the phone.
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Address: 2525 Ashland St., Ashland, OR 97520
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Phone: 855-482-8310 When booking by phone, please mention the Oregon Trails Coalition to receive the group rate.
Group Rate: $110 per night for single or double occupancy rooms. The listed rate is at the current published Federal Government per diem rate. A nightly facility fee of $10 per guestroom also applies. Additional guests are $10 per person, per night. Note: when booking online, the rate shown initially is $120 and includes the $10 nightly facility fee. This is explained once you add your payment information.
Alternative Lodging Options
If you're looking for alternative accommodations during the event or want to see more in the area check out the following:
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Willow-Witt Ranch located ~ 20 minutes (drive) from Ashland Hills Event Center. All of the Willow-Witt accommodations will be 25% off the listed price by entering the code: OTC Summit.
Southern Oregon Resources
Extend your Summit experience by exploring all that Southern Oregon has to offer. From scenic trails and vibrant downtowns to wineries, rivers, public lands, and cultural attractions, the region is rich with opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure. Whether you're planning to arrive early, stay a little longer, or simply looking for things to do between Summit events, these local resources can help you make the most of your visit.
Transportation
Shuttle Service
Accessible shuttle service will be provided by Adventures Without Limits along the I-5 corridor starting in Portland, making stops on the way to the summit location in Ashland. Spots are limited. This year we are charging a $12.50 non-refundable fee to secure your spot. Please reach out if cost is a barrier: chelsea@oregontrailscoalition.org
Reserve your seat on our shuttle.
Carpool Information
We will be using Whova to help facilitate ride-sharing between airports and our event venue. If you are interested in ride-sharing, we strongly encourage you to download and utilize the Whova App to connect and coordinate directly with other attendees. Get started with this link.
Summit Archive
Thanks to our past Summit sponsors, presenters, planning committee members, and the 300+ individuals who participated in sessions, field workshops, and more!
2023 Summit Recap & Program Archive
2022 Summit Recap & Full Program, Presentation, and Resource Links
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