Trip Report: Expanding Access To Outdoor Recreation In Central Washington
Mountaineers conservation staff, Outdoor Alliance Washington partners, and other recreation leaders with Representative Dan Newhouse at our Recreation & Brews roundtable meeting at Varietal Beer Co. in Sunnyside, WA. Photo courtesy of Rep. Newhouse’s staff.
Adapted from The Mountaineers’ blog here
Over the last three years, Outdoor Alliance Washington (OA Washington) has been working to forge strong relationships with lawmakers and recreation partners so that we can effectively advocate for shared conservation, recreation, and climate priorities on behalf of more than 75,000 paddlers, climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and winter recreation enthusiasts.
The forests and grasslands of central Washington offer unique ways to experience the outdoors through recreation. Visitors and residents alike cherish the opportunity to paddle the Tieton and Yakima rivers, climb the Royal Columns near Tieton, and hike and mountain bike trails that criss-cross a diverse landscape.
Image: The Royal Columns near Tieton, courtesy of William Woodward
Last week, OA Washington and other local recreation leaders gathered with Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) while he was home in his district for Congress’ summer break to discuss outdoor access issues and the importance of passing the EXPLORE Act. The meeting highlighted the importance of outdoor recreation throughout Washington’s 4th congressional district, which spans from the Methow Valley down through the Yakima Valley and the Tri-cities to the Columbia River.
Outdoor Alliance Washington member groups have staff and members living and recreating in the 4th district, and this meeting was a great opportunity to strengthen connections across the human-powered recreation community in central Washington.
Recreation & Brews in Sunnyside
Rep. Newhouse is a leader in Congress on wildfire and natural resources issues (he currently chairs the Congressional Western Caucus). His district boasts some of the state’s special outdoor recreation opportunities, with residents in the district spending $1.88 billion on outdoor recreation each year. There’s opportunity to increase access and continue to grow outdoor recreation across the district, bolstering the outdoor recreation economy and connecting more community members to the transformative experiences on our public lands and waters.
Outdoor enthusiasts often appreciate pairing a trip on public lands with a visit to a local brewery. With Congressman Newhouse home meeting constituents and attending to hops on his Sunnyside farm, we organized a casual opportunity for him to hear from several constituents working to increase outdoor access and build community through recreation.
This small gathering at Varietal Beer Co. in Sunnyside introduced the congressman to Outdoor Alliance Washington and connected him with human-powered recreation leaders living and working in the district, particularly from Yakima, the Tri-Cities, and White Salmon, along the Columbia River.
Meeting discussion between Rep. Dan Newhouse and our group of human-powered outdoor recreation leaders from central Washington. Photo by Mountaineers staff.
Connecting Paddlers, Climbers, Hikers, and Mountain Bikers
We were joined by local representatives of Washington Trails Association, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Washington Climbers Coalition, Yakima River Runners, and Shrub Steppe Trails Alliance. Each group shared about their organization’s activities, priorities, and some challenges they faced that highlight the need for increased outdoor access and additional funding for land managers.
“I’ve experienced the value of nearby access to nature for biking, and there are currently no mountain bike trails within an hour of the Tri-Cities,” shared Julie Nelson, president of Shrub Steppe Trails Alliance, based in Kennewick. “There’s a great need for a multi-use trail system to support both mountain biking and hiking for our community.”
Regardless of how you might recreate outdoors, we all face similar challenges when it comes to the recreation landscape in Washington. We grapple with the impact of wildfire, lack of resources for land managers to restore, maintain, and expand recreation infrastructure, and the growing need to support groups and businesses connecting communities to nature.
“In this region, we don’t have a recreation coalition bringing organizations together across outdoor activities. Making connections and increasing our awareness and collaboration across groups is extremely valuable - we’re stronger together,” shared Tyler Forman, President of the Cowlitz-Naches chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.
Getting the EXPLORE Act Across the Finish Line
Throughout the meeting, partners thanked Rep. Newhouse for his support of the EXPLORE Act. Two key pieces of the EXPLORE Act, the SOAR Act and the Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act, are particularly important for the human-powered recreation community in Washington, including outdoor businesses, outfitters, and guides. If passed through Congress and enacted into law, this legislation would improve public lands management by cutting the red tape for recreational permitting for guide and outfitted outfitters, as well as groups that take people out to experience public lands for the first time, and protect climbing in Wilderness which is currently under threat.
Outdoor Alliance Washington is continuing to urge Congress to pass the EXPLORE Act by the end of the year. Join our advocacy by using our action form to urge your members of Congress to pass the EXPLORE Act to improve sustainable outdoor recreation for future generations of Washington outdoor enthusiasts.
Through a combination of direct advocacy, impactful events like this one, field tours, and grassroots engagement, Outdoor Alliance Washington is working to advance our three main policy priorities: investing in the outdoors; protecting special places through land and water conservation; and ensuring an equitable and sustainable future for public lands and waters.
By amplifying the voices of Washington’s mountain bikers, paddlers, climbers, and backcountry skiers across the state, we can achieve a more sustainable future for Washington’s outdoors. You can get involved by signing up to hear more about our Washington work here: