Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition

Who We Are

Spending much of our history as an all-volunteer-led organization, the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition formed to be the citizen advocate for the construction of a Pierce County trail along the abandoned railroad. 40 years later, we have helped to see nearly 22 miles of completed paved trail sections from the Meeker (East Puyallup) Trailhead to the north edge of Buckley, and leveraged millions of dollars for trail projects in the Puget Sound region. We are a dedicated group of volunteers and consultants, led by an Executive Director since 2022, that are engaged not only in adding miles to and supporting the Foothills National Recreation Trail, but also supporting the build out of the county’s regional trail and active transportation network. We also put on several annual events that help bring thousands of people together on the trail.

Mission: Our mission is to work to expand, fund, maintain, promote and advocate for an accessible and inclusive trail system from Mt. Rainier National Park to Puget Sound, fostering recreation, health, active transportation, economic growth, and environmental and historic preservation.

Vision: Our vision is an accessible network of world-class trails improving peoples’ lives by connecting communities and destinations throughout Pierce County and beyond.