Back Country Horsemen of Washington

What Back Country Horsemen of Washington does

Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 by Ken Wilcox to preserve recreational equestrian access to public lands in Washington State. Headquartered in Ellensburg, BCHW operates as a community-led membership organization structured around 31 local chapters distributed across the state, with a 2025 membership base of 1,972 individual members across 1,310 memberships. The organization's core function is delivering volunteer labor for trail maintenance, bridge projects, and horse camp development on federal, state, and tribal lands under established partnerships with the USDA Forest Service, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Washington State Parks. It also runs a certified Sawyer (chainsaw/crosscut) training program in coordination with USFS Region 6, a Junior BCHW youth program, Leave No Trace education, and disaster preparedness resources for equine owners.

BCHW's product surface is programmatic rather than technological: it consists of volunteer work parties, the Sawyer certification track, the Trailhead News newsletter (six issues per year), the Winery Ride and Rendezvous annual events, a Volunteer Hours Reporting system, and a Chapter Grants Program. There is no proprietary software platform, API, mobile application, or AI/ML component. The technology footprint is limited to a WordPress-style website (bchw.org), a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, and basic spreadsheet-based volunteer tracking.

Revenue is generated through five streams: annual membership dues (varying by chapter, billed on a calendar-year subscription with renewals from October 1), tax-deductible donations (enabled by 501(c)(3) status), grants from government agencies and foundations, event registration fees, and merchandise sales through the BCHW Store. Pricing for membership is not publicly disclosed; dues amounts are set by individual chapters and prospective members are directed to contact chapters directly. The organization is affiliated with the 31-state Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) network and maintains governance through a Board of Directors with elected officers including President (Heather Moorman, July 2026 - June 2028), Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, plus a Trail Operations Manager and various committee chairs.

Name

Back Country Horsemen of Washington

Legal name

Back Country Horsemen of Washington

Website

https://bchw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Back Country Horsemen of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1976 that maintains equestrian trails and horse camps across Washington State through 31 local chapters and 1,972 members, partnering with federal and state land management agencies to deliver trail work, sawyer training, and public-lands advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Trail Maintenance & Public Lands Stewardship Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAKAL

Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure Sports & Activity Centers (Paragliding, Skydiving, Surf Schools)

SECONDARYBPAGAGAC

Land Trusts & Protected Areas

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

Keywords

• Equestrian trail maintenance
• Volunteer trail work
• Public lands advocacy
• Recreational horsemanship
• Chapter-based membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from individual members through 31 chapters. Membership year runs January 1 - December 31 with renewal season starting October 1.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting trail maintenance and equestrian access mission. 501(c)(3) charitable organization status enables donation deductibility.
3. Grants: Grant funding from various sources including government agencies and foundations to support trail work projects. Grants cover trail maintenance, restoration, and volunteer coordination activities.
4. Event Fees: Registration fees for organized rides and events such as the annual Winery Ride and Rendezvous.
5. Merchandise Sales: BCHW Store sells merchandise at state activities including Leadership events, Rendezvous, board meetings, and Winery Ride.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Back Country Horsemen of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes volunteer equestrian trail maintenance, restoration, and horse-camp development on Washington State public lands in partnership with USFS, DNR, WDFW, NPS, and BLM. It also runs educational programs (Sawyer certification with USFS Region 6, recreational packing, Leave No Trace, Junior BCHW youth program) and advocates for continued equestrian access to public lands, with services delivered through 31 local chapters statewide.

Product overview

Back Country Horsemen of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with 31 chapters across Washington State offering volunteer trail maintenance services, equestrian education programs, and membership benefits. The organization operates as a collection of interconnected programs rather than a unified software product, including the Sawyer Program for chainsaw certification, Trailhead News newsletter, Junior BCHW youth program, Chapter Grants Program, and Volunteer Hours Reporting System. Core services center on preserving trail access for stock users through hands-on trail work, education (packing, sawing, trail riding), Leave No Trace training, and advocacy for public lands access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Trail Maintenance Services Volunteer trail maintenance, restoration, and horse-camp development delivered through organized work parties for Washington State public-land agencies (USFS, DNR, NPS, WDFW, BLM). Available to members and non-members.
• Sawyer Program (chainsaw & crosscut saw certification) Chainsaw and crosscut saw training, certification, and evaluation program run jointly with USFS Region 6, with Saw Operations, Chain Saws, Crosscut Saws, Ax and Wedges modules and a C Evaluator certification track. For BCHW members and partner-agency volunteers.
• Junior BCHW Youth Program Structured youth program with modules covering Trail Riding Skills, Trail Maintenance Skills, Packing Skills, Leave No Trace, Legislative Opportunities, Parliamentary Procedures, and Fundraising & Events. For young horsemen and their families.
• Leave No Trace Education for Backcountry Stock Users Educational program teaching the seven Leave No Trace principles tailored to backcountry horse use, including a Backcountry Horse Use Skills and Ethics Booklet. For equestrian members and the wider trail-riding public.
• Recreational Packing Education Training resources for starting and running pack stock, including lead-rope work, ground tying, hobbles, pack-saddle fitting, and progressive loading of horses and mules. For members wanting to pack into the backcountry.
• BCHW Chapter Grants Program Grant program providing funding to smaller chapters for trail maintenance and restoration projects; applications due November 15 for the following trail work season. For BCHW chapters.
• Annual State Events — Rendezvous and Winery Ride State-level gathering events including the annual Rendezvous (April) and the Winery Ride & Halloween Costume Contest (October), with Base Camp and Day Rider options. For members and the riding public.
• Trailhead News Newsletter Bimonthly member newsletter (six issues per year) covering organizational news, trail updates, and equestrian education content; print + mailed for March/April and September/October issues, electronic for the others. Included with BCHW membership.
• BCHW Chapter Membership Annual chapter-level membership in BCHW with dues varying by chapter, including member benefits such as discounts on LifeFlight/Airlift Northwest, Equisure insurance, and BCHA vendor discounts.
• BCHW Store Merchandise Organization-branded merchandise (apparel and gear) sold at state activities including Leadership events, Rendezvous, board meetings, and the Winery Ride. For members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 48 years of continuous operation maintaining equestrian trail access in Washington State
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCHW is affiliated with BCHA, the national organization. BCHA coordinates across 31 states including Washington. BCHW participates in national initiatives, receives support on bigger issues, and aligns with the BCHA mission statement.
• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with USFS for trail maintenance and volunteer coordination. BCHW maintains Volunteer Service Agreement with USFS for trail work projects across national forests including Okanogan-Wenatchee, Olympic, Gifford Pinchot, Colville, and Baker-Snoqualmie.
• Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Washington DNR for trail maintenance on state-managed lands. BCHW provides volunteer trail work services and advocacy for equestrian access.
• Washington State Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WDFW on wildlife area trail maintenance and equestrian access management.
• National Park Service (NPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NPS for trail work at Olympic National Park and other NPS properties in Washington.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with BLM on public lands trail maintenance, particularly noted for work in Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area.
• Washington Trails AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with WTA for collaborative trail work projects. Joint work parties conducted with WTA and BCHW ladies volunteer crews.
• Washington State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Washington State Parks on equestrian trail maintenance and camping facilities at state parks.
• Blue Ribbon CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Blue Ribbon Coalition for broader recreation advocacy efforts.
• Washington Animal Rescue (WASART)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Washington Animal Search and Rescue Team for disaster preparedness and equine rescue support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• American Hiking Society: National nonprofit advocating for hiking trails and volunteer stewardship. Comparable as a peer nonprofit model relying on volunteer work parties, member dues, donations, and federal land agency partnerships.
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Volunteer-powered nonprofit maintaining the Pacific Crest Trail through federal agency partnerships. Directly comparable operating model combining volunteer trail crews, agency MOUs, education programs, and member-based funding.
• Blue Ribbon Coalition: National recreation access advocacy organization. Directly comparable through formal BCHW partnership and overlapping mission of preserving motorized and stock access to public lands.
• Washington Trails Association: Washington State's largest volunteer-powered trail maintenance nonprofit. Directly comparable as a co-located peer running volunteer work parties, training programs, and government partnerships for trail stewardship.
• Back Country Horsemen of America: National umbrella organization coordinating 31 state chapters including BCHW. Directly comparable as the parent affiliate governing BCHW's mission, advocacy positions, and member benefits such as Equisure insurance.
• Washington State Horse Council: State-level umbrella organization for horse-related associations in Washington. BCHW joined the council in 1987; comparable as the statewide peer body coordinating policy and advocacy for equestrian interests.

Broad incumbents

• American Horse Council: National trade association for the U.S. equine industry. Comparable as a broader advocacy body that represents horse-owner interests including public-land access, but covers all equestrian disciplines rather than backcountry trail use specifically.
• National Recreation and Park Association: National nonprofit advancing park and recreation development. Comparable as a broader umbrella advocating for public recreation access and serving as a counterweight to trail/land-use restrictions that affect BCHW members.

Emerging players

• Equine Land Conservation Resource: National nonprofit focused on conserving land for horse-related recreation. Highly comparable mission niche around preserving equestrian access to trails and open space, though operating nationally rather than statewide.

Others

• Leave No Trace: National nonprofit providing outdoor ethics education. BCHW runs an adapted Leave No Trace curriculum for backcountry horse use; comparable as an adjacent education provider whose framework BCHW teaches and amplifies locally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.bchw.org/index.php&title=Washington+State+Equestrian+Educational+and+Volunteer+Trail+Maintenance+Organization+-+Back+Country+Horsorsemen+of+Washington
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/back-country-horsemen-of-washington

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Back Country Horsemen of Washington