The Sahale Arm Trail in North Cascades National Park is in need of repairs/WNPF

Floods. Windstorms that down trees. Wildfires. Millions of feet. Hiking trails take a pounding from all these things. And while the paths are the responsibility of the National Park Service, the agency often lacks money and staff to tackle all but the most pressing needs. That'™s where national park friends groups come into play with their financial resources and, at times, volunteers willing to heft building materials for water barriers, haul rocks, swing picks, if necessary, and wield shovels.

Here's A Look At Some Of The Work Being Done By Washington's National Park Fund

Washington'™s National Park Fund is unusual among friends group circles in that it watches out for three parks: Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Olympic National Park.

At North Cascades, the group is funding repairs to the Sahale Arm Trail. This project has a budget of $32,000. The trail runs just 2.2 miles, traversing through high-elevation meadows between Cascade Pass and the Sahale Glacier camp.

Easy access and spectacular views make this the most popular alpine trail in the park. And it also contributes to the need. Currently, thousands of feet of steep, mud-covered trail are threatening visitor safety and detracting from the visitor'™s experience. Funding for this project will allow the damaged trails to be repaired.

The work involved calls for additional drainage devices to be put into place to prevent further trail damage. Revegetation to bare ground will prevent erosion as well as further damage. Trail segments that cannot be maintained in their current location will be relocated. Seasoned trail workers are recruited to work on this trail to ensure these improvements will withstand weather and time.

At Olympic, the Fund is working with park staff to repair a rock retaining wall and the tread along the quarter-mile Madison Falls Trail, a wheelchair accessible path just off the Olympic Hot Springs Road.

The Fund also is working with both North Cascades and Mount Rainier national parks on a fisher restoration project at North Cascades. The $20,000 goal for this will help relocate and monitor 160 of the mammals into the northern and southern Cascades.

Three Fall Hikes In Washington'™s National Parks:

'¢ The Heather-Maple Pass Loop at North Cascades National Park. This 7.2-mile hike has it all: old-growth forest, alpine lakes and meadows, and spectacular panoramic views from above treeline. Of course, you pay for the views: the hike gains 2,000 feet in elevation.

'¢ Royal Basin. A 14-mile out-and-back hike in Olympic National Park that pulls you towards the craggy roof of the park. As you might expect at Olympic, the hike starts out in dense forest, essentially following Royal Creek, higher and higher. If you have the time, this would make a great overnight trek.

'¢ Tipsoo Lake-Naches Peak Loop. For travelers short on time, this 3-mile hike at Mount Rainier pays off with beautiful views of the mountain thanks to the meadows you wander through. Elevation change is only 600 feet, and there'™s even a bench at Dewey Lake where you can enjoy the view with a picnic. Or a picnic with a view!