Join with the Western States Trail Foundation
to Support Our Mission!
The WSTF manages an annual budget of nearly $300,000 with activities to support our Mission that run throughout the year.
Some of our recent or ongoing projects:
Preserving and Protecting the Trail:
- Investment of dollars and volunteer hours to recover from the 2022 Mosquito Fire.
- Engagement with land owners to maintain trail access – year-round – for all users.
- Partnership with the Western States Run to reroute the trail in the Granite Chief Wilderness to a more environmentally sustainable area.
Horse Welfare:
- Vet-led studies each year to determine factors that influence successful completion.
- Preparedness for ride day safety, with pre-staged veterinarians and safety kits.
- Our campaign for “soft illumination” for the night riding portions of the trail.
Staging the Annual Ride:
- Recruiting and training an annual staff of some 900 volunteers.
- Working to establish a safe riding route each year – requiring tree clearing, trail reconditioning, and (sometimes) re-routing to accommodate mother nature!
- Assembling a top-flight team of veterinarians to ensure that “horse welfare” comes first on ride day.
This is all made possible by your generous financial support. Please consider a donation to sustain our efforts – contributions qualify as a charitable deduction for tax purposes. Our need has never been greater – please join with us to pursue our Mission!
The independent philanthropic assessment organization Charity Navigator has now recognized the Western States Trail Foundation with a 4-Star Rating – its highest level. The assessment acknowledges that we have a strong and trustworthy financial structure, and discloses that our “expense ratio” is a robust 88% (percentage of our budget that directly supports our Mission). Charity Navigator advises that donors can “Give With Confidence” to the WSTF!