North Kitsap Trails Association

Since 2008, NKTA uses your donations to advocate and maintain Kitsap's envisioned system of land and water trails that connects North Kitsap communities, Tribal lands, parks, open space, schools and private developments as opportunities for walking, rolling, paddling, observing wildlife, horseback riding and non-motorized active-transportation with a regional trail network to connect and boosts the local community's health, pride, outdoor access as well as Kitsap's economy.  

Community safety for trail users of all ages and abilities is a key part of NKTA's 2011 String of Pearls Trail Plan designating the Sound to Olympics Trail (STO) as a safe regional spine-trail that connects our communities, parks, open space and schools to each other.   Running from from the North Kitsap ferry terminals to the Hood Canal Bridge, the STO will link-up to Washington's cross-state trail, by way of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) and the Mountains to Sound Greenway.  

With your donations our legacy can continue to pursue the String of Pearls Vision:

1. In Dec. 2024, NKTA successfully advocated on another partnership between the private land owner and Kitsap County, the Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) and local donors to purchase the Divide Community Forest, and celebrated the purchase-sale completion of the final block of land in the String of Pearls Vision, thus creating the east-west route of the STO as a linear habitat corridor across North Kitsap. 
2. In 2024, NKTA donated to Bainbridge Island's Welcome Pole artwork along the STO.
3. In 2023, NKTA celebrated with City of Poulsbo at the ribbon-cutting dedication of next two miles of STO trail corridor & pedestrian tunnel construction along Johnson Parkway under SR Hwy 305 after almost a decade of pedestrian safety design advocacy.
4. In 2021, NKTA partnered with two other non-profit trail groups to create a 200-mile active recreation and transportation vision called the Puget Sound to Pacific (PS2P) Trail from Bainbridge Island to Forks/La Push.  The PS2P Partnership collaborated with (4) Tribes, (13) jurisdictions in 3 counties, WA Dept. of Transportation and a Port District to receive a federal $16.13mil. transportation planning grant to complete the design of the remaining 100-mile gaps in the 200-mile trail network.
5. In 2018, NKTA advocated that the STO & ODT trail be the route of the Great American Rail Trail (GART), from WA's Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast, as chosen by the national Rails to Trails Conservancy.  
6. In 2018, NKTA collaborated with Bainbridge Island on the completion ceremony of the first constructed mile of the STO trail from the Winslow Ferry Terminal. 
7. In 2014, NKTA was one of the leading Kitsap Forest and Bay organization partners working with Kitsap County to acquire and conserve almost 4,000 acres of former Pope Resources timberlands near Port Gamble and Kingston, for the creation of a new Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park and expansion of the North Kitsap Heritage Park. 
8. In 2013, NKTA was instrumental in the creation of the Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails System, the only such National Park designated water trail in WA State.
9. In 2011, NKTA wrote Kitsap's String of Pearls Trail Plan and Kitsap County adopted it.

NKTA is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to promoting /supporting community and regional trails of all types as well as trail access for users of all ages, abilities and interests.  As an advocate for parks, open space conservation, non-motorized active transportation and recreation, NKTA sponsors trail projects with your donations as well as advocates on similarly projects and organization like GPC, PS2P, Kitsap Forest & Bay Project, Kitsap Park's volunteer stewardship groups and EMBA-West Sound.