Public lands are more than places to explore. They are places where memories are made, communities come together, and people find connection and healing in the outdoors. But keeping these places accessible requires people willing to put in the work to protect them.
In fall 2026, the Overland Expo Foundation supported First Due Overland‘s Naches Ranger District End of Season Activation, with a $5,500 grant bringing nearly 40 volunteers together to restore damaged trails, remove illegal dumping, and improve dispersed camping areas in Washington’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest before winter arrived.
Restoring Trails and Protecting Access
Wildfires and extreme weather forced the project team to adjust its original plans, ultimately shifting the cleanup to the Naches Ranger District. Despite the challenges, volunteers mobilized across multiple work areas, including Bethel Ridge and Indian Creek.
Working alongside the U.S. Forest Service and other partners, specialized teams tackled different aspects of the restoration. One crew focused on technical trail work, using chainsaws and recovery equipment to clear downed trees and remove hazardous obstacles. Other volunteers concentrated on cleaning dispersed camping areas and removing illegally dumped waste.
Together, the teams removed approximately 1,160 pounds of trash, tires, and scrap metal, cleared an estimated 50 or more downed trees, and decommissioned three illegal trail bypasses on Bethel Ridge.
These improvements helped make the area safer and cleaner while reducing environmental damage and preserving access for the overlanders, campers, hikers, hunters, and other recreationists who enjoy these public lands.
More Than a Cleanup
The project’s impact extended beyond the physical improvements to the forest. Nearly 40 volunteers contributed an estimated 200 or more combined volunteer hours, demonstrating the power of the outdoor community to take an active role in public land stewardship.
First Due Overland also incorporated its FDO Serves educational approach, reinforcing responsible recreation practices such as packing out trash, properly extinguishing campfires, and using digital maps to identify legal routes and avoid unauthorized trails.
By combining hands-on restoration with education, the project helped participants become better stewards while demonstrating that the off-road community can be an essential partner in conservation.
For First Due Overland Co-Founder Shane Stewart, the work at Bethel Ridge carried a particularly personal meaning. The area had helped him find healing during a difficult period in his life, and returning to lead a team of volunteers offered an opportunity to give back to a place that had made a lasting difference for him.
As the crews worked to clear fallen trees and restore damaged trail sections, Stewart saw firsthand how the landscape—and the community caring for it—could be renewed.
The experience brought the project full circle: a place that had once provided personal restoration became the setting for a collective effort to restore the land.
Supporting Responsible Recreation
The Naches Ranger District End of Season Activation reflects the Overland Expo Foundation’s commitment to protecting public lands, preserving recreational access, and encouraging responsible overlanding.
By removing hazardous debris, restoring damaged trail sections, and educating recreationists, First Due Overland helped prepare these areas for the 2027 season and beyond.
Every restored trail and every pound of trash removed helps protect the places that make overlanding possible. Just as importantly, projects like this strengthen the relationship between recreationists and land managers, showing that the outdoor community is not simply a user of public lands—it can be one of their strongest advocates.
How You Can Get Involved
First Due Overland brings the overland community together through service-focused initiatives that support public lands and responsible recreation.
To learn more about their work and future stewardship opportunities, visit their website: firstdueoverland.com
Become a member of the Overland Expo Foundation to help fund similar on-the-ground projects. Visit our News & Projects page to learn more about past projects.
By investing in people and places, the Overland Expo Foundation is proud to support programs that use adventure as a pathway to lasting impact—on the trail, in communities, and in the lives of those who serve.