NWTA Mission Statement
To create, enhance, and protect mountain bike riding opportunities; to advocate for trail access; to promote responsible mountain biking; and to build, maintain, and ride sustainable trails.
Who We Are
Northwest Trail Alliance (formerly Portland United Mountain Pedalers) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon. We are one of the Northwest's leading mountain bike advocacy and trail stewardship groups. Created in 1988 as a grassroots club of local riders, focused on maintaining bike access to Forest Park - Portland's renown urban park -, we have grown into a regional advocacy group, stewarding trails and advocating for trail access across a wide radius around Portland; from Forest Park and Powell Butte within the city limits of Portland, to the southern foothills of Mount St Helens, to the western slopes of Mount Hood, to Tillamook State Forest and Scappoose.
In December 2009, Northwest Trail Alliance enrolled in the newly launched chapter program of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and became the first IMBA Chapter in the Northwest. To learn more, you can download a copy of our Plan for 2012/2013 here.Â
Our Focus
As the sport of mountain biking has grown in the last 30 years from a niche sport to a mainstream activity for hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts across America, the need for more bike-accessible trails and improving existing trails has become more pressing. We are passionate rider advocates who recognize that action is required to maintain and expand our treasured sport and outdoor lifestyle. We have been working hard to represent the mountain bike community in our city and surrounding region and work with local land owners and agencies to build and maintain trails, help allocate funding for new trails, and mitigate user conflicts.
Over the past few years, our organization has gone through a major rebranding and restructuring, aimed at expanding its focus to all types of off-road cycling within our geographic area, including cross-country style singetrack trails, urban pumptracks and skills parks, (sub)urban cyclocross training facilities, sustainable freeride and downhill trails, and urban "natural surface trails" as an alternative to paved trails for bike commuting and transportation within the city. Our goal is to become an alliance of cyclists and trail advocates who share a common vision for off-road cycling in our region. Â
Our Vision
For Portland, NW Oregon and SW Washington to become a recognized and acclaimed haven for mountain biking and off-road cycling.
To create awareness and a positive attitude towards all types of off-road cycling -- with other trail users, with land managers and agencies, and with the general public.
To become a role model for other mountain bike and trail advocacy groups around the country.Â
