Volunteer!

Help construct and maintain the Iron Goat Trail by participating in a construction or maintenance work party. Feel good about what you accomplish and have fun at the same time! Typical tasks are clearing and excavating for trail tread and constructing drainage structures. Work parties are fun and rewarding, but they are hard work and can be strenuous. Participants need to be in good physical condition, although not everyone will need to move boulders as shown in the photo on the right. Some tasks are as easy as pruning off protruding branches with loppers. Groups as well as individuals are encouraged to participate.

Flexibility is vital to effective scheduling of trail construction and maintenance work parties. Work project and site location for each work party will vary due to weather, specific needs and work party strength. To sign up visit the VOW website calendar. In general there are work parties most Wednesdays and Saturdays, May through October, and during the Volunteer Vacation Week.

Projects for this year

Much of our time this year will be spent repairing the considerable damage from last winter's storms. The damage includes washed-out segments, muddy areas and rock slides several feet deep.

We will also seek to restore the existing nearly 9 miles of trail to original specifications by removing encroaching vegetation and making needed tread and drainage repairs.

We also intend to continue working on the crossover trail from Scenic to Windy Point and the connector trail from the lower railroad grade to the Iron Goat Interpretive Site at the Scenic trailhead. Four days - the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend plus the last Saturdays in June, July and August - are designated as special "Maintenance Events".  Meats, buns and drinks will be provided.  Participants are asked to bring salads and desserts.

We also intend to complete the crossover trail from Scenic to Windy Point.

Maintenance of native plant landscaping at the trailheads

First impressions are important! Our premier trail should have trailheads that are neat, free of litter, and with thriving plantings of native vegetation. Unfortunately, trailheads are often rife with non-native, invasive weeds brought in unintentionally by humans and their machines. Keeping these weeds in control will improve the appearance of the trailhead and help prevent these spreading on up the trail.

The margins of the Martin Creek parking lot were planted with sword ferns and vine maples, and a variety of native plants were transplanted into the area around the composting toilet. These plantings need tending by removing the competing non-native weeds and thinning the rapidly-growing alder around the vine maples and ferns. If there is time, weeds growing in the middle of the parking lot should be dug out. Saturday, June 21st has been designated to do this work, as part of the general maintenance work party operating out of Martin Creek Trailhead that day. There will be a tailgate potluck in the parking lot following the work party.

The Wellington Trailhead has a large "island" in the middle of the parking lot. Volunteers spent three seasons re-vegetating this area with noble fir, vine maple, Douglas maple, and many species of native groundcovers and wildflowers that were salvaged from beneath nearby power lines. This area will need weeding at least until the native plantings are well-established and covering most of the area. Saturday, July 28th, the day of the Volunteer Reunion/Maintenance Work Party, has been designated as a time when interested volunteers will spruce-up this area, and we may work on this area on Saturday, August 25th in conjunction with another maintenance event.

If you are interested in either the trailhead weeding work parties or possible plant salvages, please contact the VOW Office.

What to wear and bring

Sturdy boots, work gloves, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Hardhats are required and will be furnished. Bring a daypack with rain gear, warm sweater, plenty of food and liquids.

Signup

Sign up for work parties online at www.trailvolunteers.org or call the VOW office at (206) 517-3019. Be sure to sign up at least two days before the work party to assure your reservation. Except during Volunteer Vacation, most people come up just for the day. Nearby overnight camping is available; check with the VOW office.

Transportation

Work parties often carpool from Bothell Park & Ride, SR 522 and Kaysner Way; contact drivers/riders by email using the online sign-up procedure or check with the VOW office if you want to carpool. Leave the Park & Ride at 7:30am to arrive at the trailhead by 8:45am, and leave the trailhead at 4:00 pm to return to Seattle by 6:00pm. It is helpful to sign up to learn the trailhead meeting place for each work party, but it may also be possible to find out the meeting place by stopping at the Skykomish Ranger Station on the way. At times we may need to meet behind the Skykomish Ranger Station at 8:30am to further reduce the number of cars that need to be parked at the trailhead. Because of the high gas prices, it is customary for each rider to pay the driver $8 to $10 round trip

Signup Today!