News

Unifying the Bodie Hills Landscape

This week The Wilderness Land Trust completed the transfer of 1,698 acres of sagebrush steppe in the eastern Sierra to public ownership. Located in the Bodie Hills, just east of Yosemite National Park, the property stretches across five parcels, dispersed throughout a large ranch holding. The Bodie Hills have some of the highest ecological intactness […]

How protecting wilderness is key for the biodiversity loss crisis

We are in the midst of a global biodiversity loss crisis. Species are going extinct at a rate of 1000x faster than without human influence. Globally, wildlife populations have dropped an average of 69% between 1970 and 2018. But research has shown that protecting habitat is one of the key solutions for slowing this loss. In […]

Closing out 2022 with protection in the Weminuche, Wild Sky, and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Areas!

We are wrapping up 2022 celebrating successful protection of the wilderness you love in Colorado and Washington! In the San Jan Mountains of Colorado, southeast of the small town of Silverton, the Weminuche Wilderness covers almost half a million acres of pristine alpine habitat, including three 14,000 ft peaks. We recently completed the purchase of […]

San Luis Obispo Tribune – Trust buys SLO County land to ‘mend tears in the fabric’ of Los Padres National Forest

The San Luis Obispo Tribune celebrates the recent transfer to public ownership of a private property adjoining the Santa Lucia Wilderness in the Central Coast of California. December 13, 2022

KISU – Nature of Idaho

Lands Specialist Kelly Conde joined hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett for this episode of Nature of Idaho to discuss The Wilderness Land Trust’s work. December 7, 2022

Connecting habitat in California’s Central Coast

This week The Wilderness Land Trust transferred the Trout Creek 4 property to public ownership, expanding the protected connection between the Santa Lucia and Garcia Wilderness areas. Just inland from the rugged cliffs and secluded beaches of the central California coast, the Santa Lucia and Garcia Wilderness areas are tucked in the rolling hills of […]

Protecting the Wild Sky Wilderness for Everyone

This week the Wilderness Land Trust completed the purchase of the privately owned 280-acre Greater New York Lode property in Washington’s Wild Sky Wilderness. The Greater New York Lode is located in the heart of the Wild Sky Wilderness in the Silver Creek drainage- a place many of you may recognize from past projects. This is […]

Welcome Travis Belote Ph.D. to Our Board of Directors

The Wilderness Land Trust recently welcomed Travis Belote Ph.D., a research ecologist with The Wilderness Society, to our Board of Directors. Travis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organization. His research is focused on understanding the basic science of ecosystems to inform conservation and adaptive management under increasing pressures of global change (including land […]

900 Acres of Critical California Habitat Protected

In northern California’s Mendocino County, tucked between the Wild and Scenic Eel River and peaks of the Sanhedrin Wilderness, lies 900 acres of private land known as the Thomas Creek property. Last week The Wilderness Land Trust closed on the property and is now in the process of transferring it to Mendocino National Forest. The […]

Introducing our newest staff member Margosia Jadkowski

It is my pleasure to introduce myself as the new Director of Marketing & Communications for the Wilderness Land Trust. I’m so excited to join the amazing team at the Trust and to bring my diverse experience to help tell the stories of the wilderness areas we work to protect and the people who have […]

Silver Creek

Jumbo Lode Acquisition | Protecting Silver Creek

This month, The Wilderness Land Trust closed on a 12-acre inholding called Jumbo Lode in the Wild Sky Wilderness of Washington. This property is located in the heart of the Silver Creek drainage. It is a steep tangle of underbrush and tall trees. At the base of the property is Silver Creek, a tributary to […]

Boots on the Ground: California

Boots on the Ground: A Site Visit Series The Trust is fortunate to share frequent stories of success with you. One critical component of our work leading up to the success is visiting each property in person. As part of our own due diligence during the acquisition and transfer phases, we join with our partners […]

Project Updates

In the last two years, The Wilderness Land Trust has completed fundraising campaigns for several critical property acquisitions. Your generosity funded the purchase of these lands and covered acquisition costs. We are happy to provide you an update on the second phase of those projects, the transfer to public land. Achenbach | Organ Mountains Wilderness, […]

Boots on the Ground: Alaska

Boots on the Ground: A Site Visit Series The Trust is fortunate to share frequent stories of success with you. One critical component of our work leading up to the success is visiting each property in person. As part of our due diligence during the acquisition and transfer phases, we join with our partners to […]

2022 Spring Newsletter – Celebrating Three Decades of Protecting Wilderness

July 2022- Happy 30th birthday. Close your eyes and make a wish. If you dream of landscapes where wildlife are free to roam, rivers and streams run cold and clear, and the opportunity for solitude amongst breathtaking beauty abounds, The Wilderness Land Trust can help make those dreams come true. It’s been 30 years since […]

Beyond the Ghost Town Lies a Stranger Lode

June 30, 2022 – The Holy Cross Wilderness of Colorado is one of miles of trails and stunning beauty. It sits between the Vail Pass and Thompson Divide wildlife corridors and allows everything from elk to Canada lynx to pass through unencumbered. This wilderness area is also riddled with private land that threaten that passage. […]

A creek winds between forested hillsides

WLT Protects Cabin Sites From Development in Southeast Alaska’s Chuck River and Kootznoowoo Wilderness Areas

June 16, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust partnered with the Southeast Alaska Land Trust (SEALT) to acquire two inholdings: the Wheeler Creek 5 and Chuck River Bend properties, in order to protect their watersheds and the salmon, brown bear, and Sitka black-tailed deer that call them home. When our transfer of this land to […]

Another Win for Wilderness on the Snake River

June 2, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust recently worked with the US Forest Service (USFS) to add 82 acres to Oregon’s Hells Canyon Wilderness Area. The private parcel, which is on a scenic bench above the Snake River and has the Reservoir Bench Trail running through it, is in the heart of the wilderness […]

Join Our Team!

Employment Opportunity: Director of Marketing and Communications Position Location: Western United States Supervisor: President Work Schedule: .75 FTE Salary: $65,000 – $70,000 DOE Benefits Offered by The Wilderness Land Trust The Wilderness Land Trust offers a competitive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan, three weeks annual paid vacation, work from home […]

Mount Massive Wilderness Completed

May 19, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust (the Trust) transferred the last private inholding in the Mount Massive Wilderness to the United States Forest Service (USFS). The 20-acre Blue Lake property sits in the basin below the summit of Twining Peak east of Independence Pass and has the North Fork Lake Creek trail running […]

Aspen Times May 17, 2022

Last island of private land in Mt. Massive Wilderness purchased and transferred to Forest Service: Site located along popular trail on east side of Independence Pass (by Scott Condon) Read Article

The Aspen Times- Last island of private land in Mt. Massive Wilderness purchased and transferred to Forest Service

The Aspen Times celebrates the protection of the last remaining private inholding in Colorado’s Mount Massive Wilderness. May 16, 2022

Ray Hohenberger Joins Board of Directors

May 13, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust is excited to welcome Ray Hohenberger as the newest member of the Board of Directors. Ray is a retired attorney and currently resides in Ohio with his wife Beth. When Ray was a teenager, he and his sister would pile in the family car with his parents […]

Upper Lundy Lake

Iconic Eastern Sierra Landscape Permanently Protected

April 22, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust has transferred a 49-acre mining claim in Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra to the Inyo National Forest for permanent protection. This high-priority property is part of the iconic view from a popular hiking trail into the upper entrance of Lundy Canyon. The Trust has now protected […]

Protecting the Mount Baker Wilderness

April 8, 2022 – The Mount Baker Wilderness is named after the fourth highest summit in the state of Washington – the iconic 10,778 ft. Mount Baker. This beautiful and rugged mountain range in the North Cascades is lush with wildflowers, huckleberries and blueberries in the summer months to support a rich habitat for bears, […]

A steep granite cliff plunges into the deep waters of Alaska's inside passage.

Alaska “Fortress of the Bears” Wilderness Needs Protection

March 25, 2022 – It’s been 30 years since The Wilderness Land Trust protected its first parcel of land. Nearly 25 years later we landed in Alaska, purchasing the largest remaining private inholding in the Chuck River Wilderness in partnership with the Southeast Alaska Land Trust. The 154-acre Windham Bay parcel was transferred to the […]

Hercules Lode looking at Fancy Lake

More Protection in the Holy Cross Wilderness

March 11, 2022 – Today we closed on two more parcels in the Holy Cross Wilderness of Colorado. These properties, the Chance and Hercules Lodes, total 25 acres and are located on the southwest side of the wilderness. I had the good fortune of visiting these properties with my cousin, who happens to live close […]

Light snow on the ridge behind a lake, as seen from the Northern Lode property

More Protection for Wilderness in Colorado

Feb. 25, 2022 – Today, The Wilderness Land Trust closed on the Northern Lode property, a 10-acre parcel on the eastern side of the Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado. The Northern Lode is a true wilderness inholding, meaning it is completely surrounded by federally designated wilderness and will automatically become a new addition to the […]

Post Independent – Purchase helps eliminate development threat in Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

The Post Independent celebrates the recent purchase of a private inholding in the Maroon Bells -Snowmass Wilderness of Colorado. February 12, 2022

The Trust's Copper Glance Lode property

The Trust Celebrates its 30th With a Successful Project Where It All Began

Feb. 4, 2022 – In 1992, attorney Jon Mulford worked with the U.S Forest Service (USFS) on several small land transactions outside of Aspen, Colorado. Through this experience, he discovered that private inholdings within the boundaries of federally designated wilderness were posing environmental threats to the landscape and creating management issues for the agency. This […]

A view of Mt. Biedeman from the Trust's Bodie Hills property

The Wilderness Land Trust Adds 880 acres to the Mt. Biedeman Wilderness Study Area

Bodie Hills land purchase means additional protection for California’s Eastern Sierra Jan. 20, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on an 880-acre land purchase in the Bodie Hills, located in California’s Eastern Sierra. The Trust is now working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its conservation partners to permanently protect this […]

Lupine and cow parsnip are examples of some of the floral biodiversity found in the La Garita Wilderness in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Above, Paul Torrence hikes the trail to San Luis Peak in the La Garita.

The Wilderness Land Trust Honors Two Iconic Conservation Champions

By Paul Torrence, board member, The Wilderness Land Trust Jan. 7, 2022 – The global conservation community and life on earth suffered a monumental loss in the closing days of 2021 with the deaths of two conservation giants – Professor Edward O. Wilson and Professor Thomas E. Lovejoy III. There will be scores of articles […]

June view from Hat Creek Rim Scenic Viewpoint

Welcoming the New Year with More Protected Land to Enjoy

Dec. 31, 2021 – We can’t think of a better way to close out 2021 than with the news that we’ve protected a vital property in northern California’s rugged Lassen National Forest. The 35-acre Hat Creek property connects to the proposed Lost Creek Wilderness area that totals more than 20,000 acres. This stunningly unique refuge […]

A Colorado Wilderness Holiday Gift

Dec. 17, 2021 – The Fossil Ridge Wilderness in Colorado is more than 32,000 acres of raw granite, high mountain lakes and glacier carved valleys. Along a steep ridge just below the summit of Cross Mountain sits a 183-acre property that significantly supports wildlife habitat for deer, elk, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. This mining […]

The Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado

More Protection for Colorado Wilderness – A message from Kelly Conde, lands specialist

Dec. 6, 2021 – The Wilderness Land Trust just closed on the Little Anne Lode in the Holy Cross Wilderness. This five-acre property may be small, but with both building and mining potential, posed a big risk to the wilderness area. My first time in the Holy Cross Wilderness was this summer on a site […]

Jim Babbitt (far right) with Sarah Chase Shaw (middle) and Helene Babbitt at a Trust board meeting in 2019

Farewell to a Friend and Former Board Member

Nov. 24, 2021 – We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and former board member, Jim Babbitt. Jim joined The Wilderness Land Trust board of directors in 2016 and served for four years. “I admired him a great deal. As a board member, he would listen carefully during meetings, provide […]

High above the clouds in the North Cascade Mountains in Washington State

A Heartfelt Thanks this Holiday Season

Nov. 19, 2021 – Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the harvest and express gratitude for the many blessings in our lives. Here at The Wilderness Land Trust, the gratitude list is long and by no means complete when I describe the hardworking staff and volunteer members of our board; the beautiful and diverse wilderness […]

Join our Team!

Employment Opportunity: Director of Operations and Development Position Location: Western United States Supervisor: President Work Schedule: .75 FTE Salary: $60,000 – $65,000 DOE Benefits Offered by The Wilderness Land Trust The Wilderness Land Trust offers a competitive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan, three weeks annual paid vacation, work from home […]

Fresh Snow Paints the Ridgetop in the Weminuche Wilderness

Field Season Comes to a Close in the High Country

Nov. 5, 2021 – It seems like field season began just yesterday, a window of opportunity to get out on the ground in the high country and inspect properties we are working diligently to acquire. Yet, the sight of fresh snow during a recent site visit to one of our favorite places in Colorado – […]

Silver Creek flows through jagged rocks and lush undergrowth on its way to the Skykomish River

Protecting Silver Creek in the Wild Sky Wilderness

Oct. 1, 2021 – The North Cascades Ecosystem in Washington state is one of America’s largest expanses of wild public lands. Straddling the North Cascade Mountain range from Canada to Snoqualmie Pass, the ecosystem covers 2.6 million acres of rugged slopes, snowy peaks and lush, old-growth forests. Designated in 2008, the Wild Sky Wilderness is […]

The Main Salmon River winds its way below the Trust’s newly acquired property in the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness Photo credit: Bradford Knipe

More Protection in the Heart of Idaho

Sept. 17, 2021 – Located in the midst of a 3.3 million-acre roadless area, the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness, combined with the adjacent Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, grey wolves, lynx, black bears and wolverines call this land home. […]

Volunteers at the cabin removal site

Volunteers Restore Colorado Wilderness

Sept. 3, 2021 – The Wilderness Land Trust is deeply grateful for the invaluable partnerships formed on many of our projects and this summer was no exception. In August 2020, the Trust purchased the 19-acre Panama/Principal Lode property outside of Aspen, Colorado knowing extensive work needed to be completed on site before it could be […]

Sunrise, Juniper Dunes

Another Wilderness Designation Now Complete

August 20, 2021 – The Juniper Dunes Wilderness is a land of extremes – from windswept snowdrifts in the winter to triple digit temperatures in the summer. But despite its seemingly harsh climate and lack of water for flora and fauna, plenty of animals thrive within its boundaries: mule deer, bobcats, coyotes, badgers, skunks, weasels, […]

Sunrise Juniper Dunes Wilderness

Summertime Site Visits

August 6, 2021 – Summertime is peak field season for the lands staff, particularly in the northern states where access to designated wilderness becomes possible once the mountain snow begins to melt. It’s a time to physically inspect potential new land acquisitions, as well as fulfill our annual site visit requirement for properties the Trust […]

Sabinoso Wilderness Expands by Nearly 50 Percent

July 23, 2021 – The Sabinoso Wilderness in New Mexico has expanded again thanks to our partnership with Trust for Public Land (TPL), the Wyss Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the leadership of U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Bureau […]

Siskiyou Daily – Little Castle Lake, trail to Heart Lake is now publicly owned property

The Siskiyou Daily celebrates the recent transfer to public ownership of a private property adjoining the Castle Crags Wilderness in California. July 8, 2021

Zack Porter photographing Trout Creek

Another Santa Lucia Wilderness Success Story

July 9, 2021 – The Santa Lucia Wilderness is located near San Luis Obispo, California, and is a unique refuge for plants, animals and humans that covers the interior coastal range mountains. Designated in 1978, it totals 20,241 acres and is known for its mountain peaks, chaparral-covered slopes and ancient oaks. This landscape is part […]

A hiker pauses at Heart Lake to admire Mt. Shasta

Little Castle Lake Permanently Protected

June 25, 2021 – Our 2019 purchase of the 637-acre Little Castle Lake property in California represented the largest remaining private parcel in the Castle Crags Wilderness. This land straddles the wilderness boundary and includes a portion of Castle Lake and all of Little Castle Lake. To people familiar with this area, this purchase meant […]

Wild Sky Wilderness

Connecting With Our Projects Online

June 18, 2021 – Our team is hard at work protecting federally designated wilderness across the western United States by removing the threat of private development, mining and other uses inconsistent with wilderness conservation. With the breadth of our work, it is hard to keep you, our supporters, informed without flooding your inbox. To make it […]

kayaking on Windham Bay

Achievement in Alaska

May 7, 2021 – In 2017 the Trust purchased the largest remaining private inholding in the Chuck River Wilderness in Alaska. This project was particularly meaningful for our dedicated lands staff because it represented our first land acquisition project in Alaska. The 154-acre property is located at the head of Windham Bay, approximately three hours […]

The old-growth temperate rainforests of western Washington are unsung heroes in the fight against climate change, storing vast amounts of carbon that would otherwise warm the planet. Photo: Looking down Silver Creek drainage on one of the Trust's active projects

Adding Wilderness to Washington’s North Cascades

April 23, 2021 – The Wild Sky and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness areas, located within the fabled North Cascades ecosystem, serve as ideal wildlife habitat for the charismatic gray wolf, Canada lynx, wolverine and even the occasional grizzly bear. And yet, there are a large number of privately owned parcels located within the boundary of […]

Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar

The Trust Welcomes a New Board Member

April 2021 – We are thrilled to introduce Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar, PhD, as a new addition to our board of directors. Joaquin is originally from Mexico and lives in Tucson, AZ, where he works for a watershed management organization as a cultural ecologist. Joaquin splits his professional time between Mexico and Arizona implementing community-based approaches to […]

A Special Field Trip to Achenbach Canyon

April 9, 2021 – This week we had the opportunity to visit our 109-acre project adjacent the Organ Mountains Wilderness with U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. Aimee Rutledge, our vice president and senior lands specialist, hiked the Achenbach Canyon Trail with the senator, as well as project partners from the Friends of Organ […]

Perspective is How You Look at Things

March 19, 2021 – The Sangre de Cristo Mountains within the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in New Mexico are 20 million years old, yet they are one of the youngest mountain ranges on earth. Designated in 2014, the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness contains the headwaters of the Rio Hondo and Red River, both major tributaries of the upper Rio […]

Conserving Canyon Country

February 26, 2021 – New Mexico is home to some of our nation’s wildest landscapes. However, only 2.5 percent of the total land area is protected as designated wilderness. The Organ Mountains Wilderness is a beautiful and popular destination, known for its spring wildflowers, seasonal streams that flow through rugged canyon bottoms, abundant wildlife and […]

More Protection for Wild Sky Wilderness

February 12, 2021 – Exploring the Wild Sky Wilderness in Washington state is like stepping back in time before early settlers began to dramatically alter the landscape. Thickly forested slopes and valleys lie in the shadow of high jagged peaks, protecting nearly all of the flora and fauna that existed hundreds of years ago. Old-growth trees […]

A Cherished Team Member Departs

January 29, 2020 – In 2013, Lisa Janeway joined The Wilderness Land Trust as administrative director, helping to manage the day-to-day needs of the organization. Her unbeatable combination of smarts, tireless work ethic and attention to detail resulted in her promotion to director of operations in 2019, occupying an important role within our lands program […]

Protecting Natural Processes in Colorado’s Wilderness

December 7, 2020 – Wildfires are a natural occurrence within Colorado’s forest ecosystem, paving the way for removal of dead trees and plant debris, regenerating the soil, and creating a mosaic of young and old trees that support a diversity of wildlife species. But the development of private land within designated wilderness disrupts this natural […]

Wilderness Land Trust Presentation on Land Acquisitions

November 19, 2020 – The Wilderness Land Trust staff recently hosted a zoom call to give supporters an inside look at the Trust’s work to protect our nation’s designated wilderness areas. The presentation offered a behind the scenes look at our current projects, including what made them successful and the challenges they faced. This presentation […]

A Final Piece of the Puzzle Falls Into Place

November 13, 2020 – Within The Juniper Dunes Wilderness lives the northern most growth of western juniper that dates back 150 years. This land in southeast Washington state is often battered by strong winds that build upon its impressive 130-foot high sand dunes. It’s also home to the Ferruginous Hawk, a state threatened and endangered […]

A Path to Wilderness

October 16, 2020 – Designated wilderness protects vital habitat for threatened and endangered flora and fauna. Every acre we acquire and transfer is part of a collective effort to remove the threat of private development and make our wilderness areas whole. Each project is an opportunity to fulfill our vision for a healthy, diverse and unified […]

Denise on a rafting trip

The Trust Welcomes a New Board Chair

October 2, 2020 – The Wilderness Land Trust is pleased to announce Denise Schlener as the new chair of our board of directors. Denise has served on our board since 2013, sharing her extensive experience in building sustainable and effective organizations. Denise’s career in conservation began with the Wilderness Society where she worked toward the […]

A Win for the Wild Sky

September 17, 2020 – The Wild Sky Wilderness is part of a 2.6 million-acre wilderness complex in Washington state that straddles the Cascade Mountain Range from Canada south to Snoqualmie Pass. It is a rugged and remote landscape, characterized by steep valleys, exposed ridgetops, old-growth forest and dense vegetation resulting from 150 – 200 inches […]

The Trust Removes Development Threat from Independence Pass

September 2, 2020 – The Wilderness Land Trust has purchased a 19-acre inholding east of Aspen just off of Highway 82 in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. In the last three years, the organization has purchased two other inholdings totaling an additional 19 acres and with this most recent purchase, the Trust has removed the last […]

The Wilderness Land Trust Earns National Recognition

August 21, 2020 – Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since our founding in 1992 The Wilderness Land Trust has been doing just that – protecting more than 52,000 acres to date. With three dozen active projects stretching from Alaska to Arizona, more wilderness is on the way. To enhance our commitment […]

The Things We Value

August 7, 2020 – It was late afternoon when our staff emerged from Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness after spending the day visiting a project site. It was hot and a thunderstorm was developing overhead. On this day our team included Brad Borst, president, and Kelly Conde, lands specialist, The Wilderness Land […]

Heart Lake in the Castle Crags Wilderness

Great American Outdoors Act Update

July 24, 2020 – Earlier this month, the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act and we are thrilled to report this week it has also passed the House. Thanks to Congress for their leadership on protecting public lands and wilderness! This brings the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) one step closer to full, […]

Another Win in New Mexico

July 10, 2020 – Jagged spires forming one of the steepest mountain ranges in the western United States, open woodlands and seasonal streams providing critical habitat for golden eagles, hawks and owls. This is just a snapshot of the Organ Mountains Wilderness established in 2019 as part of the Desert Peaks National Monument near Las […]

Removing the Threat of Mining in Muir Country

June 26, 2020 – John Muir spent his life advocating for permanent protection of America’s wild places, including the Sierra Nevada in California. Aptly named for his tireless work, the more than 652,000-acre John Muir Wilderness stretches nearly 100 miles across California from east of Fresno in the north to just west of Lone Pine […]

Stitching Together Washington’s Wilderness

June 12, 2020 – Imagine a tree that took root 300 years ago, is wider than a car at its base and nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty. There are few places in the U.S. where trees have the opportunity to grow this big and this old. One such pocket is in Washington […]

The Team Behind Our Success

May 29, 2020 – The Wilderness Land Trust is known for its professionalism when it comes to acquiring and transferring private land over to public ownership as designated wilderness. Since our founding in 1992, we’ve permanently protected more than 52,000 acres and I largely credit our small team of highly skilled staff for this history […]

A Jaw-Dropping Experience on Independence Pass

May 15, 2020 – Snow-capped mountains, high alpine meadows and hairpin turns are just a few experiences to enjoy on Independence Pass, located at 12,000 feet above sea level near Aspen, Colorado. This breathtaking region is adjacent three wilderness areas, including the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, an area we’ve been working hard to protect for more […]

More Protection for the Sabinoso Wilderness

May 1, 2020 – Defined by sheer canyon walls, rugged prairielands and never ending skies, the Sabinoso Wilderness is a high desert paradise located in northeastern New Mexico. This remote treasure was designated as wilderness in 2009 and since 2013 we have been working to further protect it. We are happy to report we have […]

The Necessity of Wilderness

April 17, 2020 – Sunrise on a mountain peak, deer browsing in a nearby meadow, the stillness of water on an alpine lake. During a time of personal and professional upheaval for many of us, we can still count on the gift of wild places. Wilderness is a necessity for us. It recharges our batteries, […]

Kelly Conde, Sawtooth Wilderness

The Trust Welcomes a New Team Member

April 3, 2020 – Please help us welcome Kelly Conde to The Wilderness Land Trust family as our new lands specialist. Kelly is an Idaho native who grew up exploring the many wilderness areas in her state. Her family vacations always required a tent and hiking boots as they backpacked the Sawtooth Wilderness, rafted […]

bear print in mud

The Arrival of Spring: A Message from Brad Borst, President

March 20, 2020 – Today is the first full day of spring, a season that ushers in longer days, warmer temperatures and a vibrant burst of activity as flora and fauna awaken from their long winter nap. It also happens to be my birthday. How do I plan to celebrate? After a dawn walk in […]

A Unique Ecosystem Worth Saving

March 6, 2020 – We were recently given the opportunity to preserve 1,698 acres of an increasingly rare sagebrush steppe ecosystem in the Bodie Wilderness Study Area in California. The sagebrush steppe ecosystem is at high elevation with gorgeous vistas over mountain ranges in California, Nevada and Mono Laske, a unique saltwater lake supporting endemic […]

Completing a Wilderness

Feb. 21, 2020 – Nine years ago this week we completed the Kingston Range Wilderness in California by transferring the last two remaining private land parcels to the BLM for permanent protection. This land – 1,240 acres – is right in the heart of the wilderness and was being considered for a large private development […]

Protecting a Paradise

Jan. 31, 2020 – There’s a hidden paradise straddling the Santa Lucia Mountains south of the Monterey Peninsula in California, where crystal clear streams flow rapidly through narrow valleys and coastal redwood trees grow tall from within the deep canyons of the Big Sur and Little Sur Rivers. That paradise is the Ventana Wilderness, and […]

Thank You for a Successful Year

Dec. 27, 2019 “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit” – Edward Abbey The success of The Wilderness Land Trust is a direct result of our supporters, who recognize the absolute necessity of wilderness. Thanks to our supporters, we acquired nearly 3,300 acres of private land during the past year […]

A Win for Wildlife Habitat in Eastern Sierra

Dec. 13, 2019 — Did you know that it’s nearly impossible to replicate sage grouse habitat? These seasonably vocal, magnificent birds require habitat under very specific conditions and are strident about returning to the same location every year. Why are we telling you this? Because The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on two properties totaling […]

Saving Arizona

Nov. 8, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on 80-acres of land in the Mt. Tipton Wilderness in Arizona. Thanks to generous supporters like you, we have removed the threat of private development on this property. Our next steps include working toward transferring it to public ownership and increasing the overall size of […]

A small stream meanders through boulders

Three Cheers for Three Transfers!

Oct. 25, 2019 — Your generous support recently allowed us to successfully transfer the last of three Trout Creek properties to public ownership within the Los Padres National Forest in California. This 324-acre piece of land is located near Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. It includes a trail system that provides a […]

Scotchman Peaks Wilderness vista

Inheriting a Livable Planet

Oct. 11, 2019 — 50,933 acres permanently protected, 481 parcels added into public ownership, and 16 wilderness areas completed. Since our founding in 1992, you, our board of directors and staff have made those numbers possible. We just returned from our fall board meeting in Sandpoint, Idaho where we spent the better part of a […]

Reid Haughey, Senior Lands Specialist, looks east from the Grandview Lode property

Protecting Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

Sept. 27, 2019 — About a year and a half ago we partnered with the Independence Pass Foundation to purchase the Grandview Lode, a nine-acre parcel in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in Colorado. Private ownership of this land would have opened it up to development, road construction and the disruption of vital habitat for threatened […]

Looking east from the Grandview Lode property

Conservation Grant Helps Protect Little Castle Lake

Sept. 15, 2019 — We are excited to announce The Wilderness Land Trust has been awarded a $30,000 grant by The Conservation Alliance to help with our Little Castle Lake project costs. We acquired the 637-acre Little Castle Lake property in June to protect it from logging and development, which would have threatened old growth […]

Saying Goodbye to a Conservation Leader

Aug. 30, 2019 — It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and Wilderness Land Trust board member Jean Hocker. In the eyes of The Wilderness Land Trust, Jean was more than a tenacious conservation leader. She was a role model who led her life by example. There was […]

Looking east from the Grandview Lode property

The Romance of Heart Lake

Aug. 23, 2019 — Last week we guided a group of 35 friends and supporters through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, where we hiked across rocky outcroppings and alpine meadows to the crystal clear waters of Heart Lake. The hike was a celebration of our recent purchase of the largest remaining private property within the […]

Readying a Property for Transfer

Aug. 9, 2019 — Some of the properties we purchase require a lot of work before we can transfer them over to public ownership, including the complete removal of unwanted man-made structures. In 2017 we acquired the “Jumbo and Mt Vernon Lode” property – 38-acres along a popular hiking route in the Mount Baker Wilderness […]

Santa Lucia Flower

California Condor Trail Access is Permanently Protected

July 26, 2019 — Thanks to your generous support, we have successfully transferred our Trout Creek I and II properties to public ownership within the Los Padres National Forest. The two properties total 480-acres and border the Garcia Wilderness near Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. Protecting this land ensures public access to […]

Snowy Little Castle Lake

Protecting Access to Castle Crags Wilderness

July 9, 2019 — Wander through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, scramble across some exposed rock and stroll through alpine meadows and you’ll find yourself on the shores of Heart Lake, taking in stunning views of Mt Shasta. This three-mile round trip hike is now possible thanks to our purchase this month of the […]

We’re Applying for Land Trust Accreditation Renewal

June 17, 2019 — The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Wilderness Land Trust (WLT) is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation in 2019, which occurs every five years. WLT was first accredited in […]

Sally Bowman Joins the Weminuche Wilderness

June 14, 2019 — In 1899 Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado, creating the Sally Bowman Mine. More than 100 years later and with the help of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy, we acquired that mine from Jerome’s […]

Colorado Land Protected for Future Wilderness

May 31, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has just transferred two Colorado properties totaling 80-acres to public ownership within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest in Colorado. The land is located near the town of Gunnison, within Colorado’s East Elk Creek, a proposed addition to the West Elk Wilderness Area The West […]

Lundy Canyon Campaign Success!

May 16, 2019 — We are thrilled to announce we have met our fundraising goal to protect Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra! This 49-acre former mining claim within the Inyo National Forest is adjacent a popular hiking trail into the upper entrance of Lundy Canyon. It has been identified as a high priority for […]

The Trust Takes a Field Trip

May 3, 2019 — Last weekend our staff, board, and project partners gathered outside San Luis Obispo, CA to experience the incredible beauty of one of our Trout Creek properties adjacent the Garcia and Santa Lucia Wilderness. These projects protect more than 800 acres of scenic viewshed and public trail access into the wilderness areas. […]

Your Continued Success in New Mexico

March 28, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on a 20-acre property that “cherry-stems” into the Columbine Hondo Wildernessin the Carson National Forest. The Commodore Lode property is located in Long Canyon, adjacent a popular wilderness access trail near Taos Ski Valley. The Columbine Hondo Wilderness was designated in 2014. Our purchase helps […]

The Trust Receives Conservation Award

March 22, 2019 — This week we are proud to learn we are the recipient of the Access Fund’s Land Conservation Award for permanently protecting the Castle Crags in northern California. In 2013, our partnership with the Fund helped us secure two square miles of land adjacent to the Castle Crags Wilderness from a local […]

Connecting People to the Land

March 8, 2019 — The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area is located in southwest Idaho near the Oregon border. The landscape is diverse, ranging from river canyons over a thousand feet deep to open expanses of sagebrush and grassland plateaus. Eight years ago this week we transferred more than 600 acres adjacent the North Fork […]

A Bipartisan Victory for Public Lands

Feb. 12, 2019 — We are cheering on the U.S. SENATE for passing a public lands package that includes permanent re-authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). From designated wilderness to national parks to neighborhood playgrounds, the Fund is a benefit to everyone in the community. This legislation will permanently authorize a federal […]

Four Months, Four States and Seven Properties!

Dec. 14, 2018 — From Colorado to Washington, we took important steps over the last four months to remove the threat of development on seven properties, saving critical fish and wildlife habitat, and protecting more wilderness for anyone with a love of the outdoors. In mid-August, we purchased three properties totaling 27 acres within the […]

Thank You and a Look Ahead

Jan. 11, 2019 — We can’t think of a better way to start the new year than by saying thank you, and to give you an early look at 11 properties – more than 1,100 acres – we plan to transfer in 2019 to the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for permanent […]

A Final Threat Eliminated from the Kalmiopsis Wilderness

Nov. 30, 2018 — We are thrilled to report we have closed on the purchase of a 60-acre mining claim adjacent to the Little Chetco River, the last remaining private inholding within the 180,000 acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness. This southwest Oregon wilderness contains the headwaters of three national wild and scenic rivers — the Chetco, North […]

Tenacity Results in a Win for Wild Sky

Nov. 16, 2018 — Jon Mulford founded The Wilderness Land Trust in 1992 with a long-range mission to acquire unprotected private land within designated wilderness and return it to public ownership. He cultivated the Trust’s steady and tenacious work ethic with the understanding that some successes take time. In the late 1990’s, Jon established a […]

Join Fellow Wilderness Lovers on Nov. 27th and Dec. 4th

Nov. 27, 2018 – Giving Tuesday #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday […]

WLT Helps Save the California Condor Trail

Nov. 2, 2018 — The California Condor/Hi Mountain/Trout Creek trail provides public access into the Santa Lucia and Garcia Wilderness areas. But use of the trail and appreciation of the surrounding land extends beyond us humans. The land is also home to mule deer, black bear, wild turkeys, peregrine falcon, horned toad and other wildlife. […]

How a Cabin Disappeared in the Mt. Baker Wilderness

Oct. 19, 2018 — The one room cabin perched precariously on a narrow ridge, its dilapidated windows boasting stunning views of the surrounding Wilderness landscape. However, the cabin and its contents – old furniture, mattresses, a wood stove, treated lumber and garbage – was slowly being crushed by the weight of heavy annual snowfall. Down below, […]

Defining Wealth in the Wilderness

Oct. 5, 2018 — According to Merriam Webster, El Dorado is defined as a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity. As we know, opportunity and wealth are in the eye of the beholder. Hopeful miners saw the El Dorado Lode in the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado as a potential gold mine, their own “City of […]

Protecting the Weminuche Wilderness

Sept. 21, 2018 — Nestled within the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado and located at the top of a rise behind beautiful Emerald Lake sits three properties that, until now, were a threat to the designated wilderness around them. Thanks to our supporters, The Wilderness Land Trust now owns these properties and they are no longer […]

33 Acres Returned to Rocky Mountain National Park’s Wild Basin Area

Sept. 6, 2018 — The Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park lives up to its name as the wildest area of the park. It’s in Wild Basin that a large amount of designated wilderness is located, and where backpackers, anglers, hikers and horse packers enjoy a truly remote experience a short hour outside […]

New Recreational Access in Castle Crags Wilderness

July 11, 2018 — A unique alliance between a land trust, three timber companies, the climbing community and the Forest Service has resulted in protection of the beloved Castle Crags area in northern California, a rock climbing destination, wildlife habitat and important water source for California residents. Two square miles of land adjacent to the […]

Who Was Sally Bowman?

April 18, 2018 — She must have made quite an impression in 1899, when Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. Just after filing to create the Morse Lode, he filed to create the Sally Bowman Mine right next […]

Wilderness Groups Celebrate Public Access to the Sabinoso Wilderness in Special Ceremony

May 29, 2018 — The Wilderness Land Trust joined the National Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and other partners to celebrate the now accessible 16,000 acre Sabinoso Wilderness in New Mexico that, until recently, was impossible for the public to access without trespassing on private property. Thanks to a contribution […]

Wild West Elk

May 2, 2018 — Another success! We just finalized the purchase of 40 additional acres of private land adjacent to the West Elk Wilderness area in Colorado. Add this to the 40 adjacent acres we already own, and we are now ready to transfer the only remaining private land within the proposed East Elk Creek […]