NATIONAL COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

What NATIONAL COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION does

National Coast Trail Association (NCTA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation incorporated in the State of Oregon on November 22, 1994 (EIN 931181740), with final IRS tax-exempt determination in 1999. The organization is the only entity exclusively dedicated to developing a National Coast Trail—a conceptual 10,000+ mile connected land and water trail looping around the United States through or near 35 states. Its current, more tractable focus is the approximately 1,800-mile West Coast Trail linking the Washington Coast Trail (~200 miles, ~190 miles existing), Oregon Coast Trail (~400 miles, ~350 miles complete, declared hikable in 1988), and California Coastal Trail (~1,200 miles, ~700 miles complete). NCTA coined the term "West Coast Trail" in its 1995 bylaws.

NCTA's programs span three lines: (1) trail development through research, coordination, volunteer organizing, and advocacy—including the Oregon Coast Trail 2021 initiative partnering with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department; (2) education via the quarterly 'Coast Trails!' newsletter, a coasttrails.org website launched in 1999 containing a Coastal Library, Travel Center, Recreation Store, Technical Center, and Webpage Theater slideshows, plus Public Outreach Presentation (POP!) community events; and (3) conservation by establishing trail corridors functioning as coastal greenways and biodiversity reserves.

NCTA is led by founder and Executive Director Al LePage—the only known person to have hiked the entire 1,800-mile West Coast Trail—and operates with a small staff (1–10, effectively executive director plus volunteer board) from mailing addresses in Eugene, OR and Portland, OR. Funding comes primarily from individual donations in Oregon and Washington, with secondary grant income, and is supplemented by individual memberships ($24–$365+ annually), business memberships ($100+), and lifetime memberships ($500+). The organization maintains partnerships with state parks agencies in Oregon, Washington, and California, the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Makah and Quinault tribes, Coastwalk, American Hiking Society, and the Trans-Canada Trail Foundation.

Name

NATIONAL COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

Legal name

National Coast Trail Association

Website

https://coasttrails.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Coast Trail Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that develops coastal trail segments and provides hiking information resources, primarily working to complete the 1,800-mile West Coast Trail across Washington, Oregon, and California through advocacy, volunteer events, and partnerships with state and federal land agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation and Trail Conservation Nonprofit

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Coastal trail development
• Trail conservation nonprofit
• Outdoor recreation advocacy
• Volunteer trail programs
• Hiking trail resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Eugene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Primary funding source. Individual donors contribute annually, primarily from Oregon and Washington. Donations are tax-deductible as NCTA is a 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees are the basis of support for NCTA's programs. Members receive the quarterly 'Coast Trails!' newsletter, access to publications, and are invited to volunteer. Tax-deductible and renewable annually.
3. Grants: Secondarily, NCTA receives grant funding. The organization files annual IRS Form 990 EZ and state charitable reports detailing revenues and expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NCTA develops, coordinates, and advocates for a National Coast Trail system across the United States, with current focus on the ~1,800-mile West Coast Trail spanning Washington, Oregon, and California. The organization delivers this through trail research and coordination, volunteer organizing (DIG! events), public education (POP! presentations and the Coast Trails! newsletter), and conservation advocacy to preserve coastal access and greenways. It also provides public trail information resources through the coasttrails.org website, including a Coastal Library, Travel Center, Recreation Store, Webpage Theater, and Technical Center.

Product overview

The National Coast Trail Association (NCTA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to trail development, education, and conservation. Rather than a commercial technology product, NCTA offers programs and services including: the Coastal Library (online trail information resource), Travel Center (travel planning resources), Recreation Store (bookstore information), Webpage Theater (slideshow presentations), and Technical Center (trail development resources). NCTA publishes the Coast Trails! newsletter and operates volunteer programs including DIG! Events (trail maintenance) and POP! Events (public outreach). Their primary focus is developing the National Coast Trail system, which includes the West Coast Trail (approximately 1,800 miles), comprising the Washington Coast Trail (200 miles), Oregon Coast Trail (400 miles), and California Coastal Trail (1,200 miles).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coastal Library Online resource providing comprehensive information about coastal trails around the world, including trail guides, history, culture, and other subjects related to coastal trail systems. Free public resource for trail users, researchers, and advocates.
• Travel Center Online travel planning resource providing information about camping, accommodations, transportation, weather, and other travel-related information for coastal trail users.
• Recreation Store (Coastal Book Store) Online virtual bookstore providing information about books related to coastal trails and coastal destinations.
• Webpage Theater Online slideshow presentation showcasing the West Coast Trail from Washington to California, including sections on Washington Coast Trail (22 min), Oregon Coast Trail (16 min), and California Coastal Trail (14 min), plus a 52-minute 'West Coast Trail: An Odyssey Along The Pacific' presentation.
• Technical Center Online resources for trail development including funding information, how-to guides, volunteer recruitment, grant programs, and organizational contacts for trail building and coastal preservation.
• Coast Trails! Newsletter Quarterly newsletter distributed to members containing important news, specific project updates, direct links to coastal trail websites, and information about trail development, education, and conservation programs.
• DIG! Volunteer Events Program Outdoor volunteer events for trail maintenance, beach clean-ups, habitat restoration, and trail signage. Includes the START LOCAL program connecting residents with state parks and partnership ceremonies with state parks.
• POP! Public Outreach Presentations Public outreach presentations that inform community residents about coastal trail value and recruit volunteers for trail projects through slideshows and presentations by executive director Al LePage. Free admission public events.
• West Coast Trail An approximately 1,800-mile hiking trail along the west coast of the United States from Cape Flattery, Washington to the California-Mexico border, linking Washington Coast Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, and California Coastal Trail.
• Oregon Coast Trail An approximately 400-mile trail passing through Oregon State Parks, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, national forests, and along Highway 101 from the Columbia River to the California border.
• Washington Coast Trail An approximately 200-mile trail passing through Olympic National Park, Native American reservations, wildlife refuges, and state beaches from Cape Flattery to the Columbia River.
• California Coastal Trail An approximately 1,200-mile trail passing through Redwood National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, around Monterey Bay, along Big Sur, and to the Mexican border.
• National Coast Trail A concept for a connected land and water trail system around the borders of the entire United States, over 10,000 miles long, traveling through or next to 35 states.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350 of 400 miles of Oregon Coast Trail completed and declared 'hikable' in 1988
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Parks and Recreation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTA collaborates with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department on the Oregon Coast Trail project. The partnership involves trail development, the 'Oregon Coast Trail 2021' initiative for final trail connections, and logistic strategy. Oregon State Parks provides the official trail designation and management for the OCT.
• Washington State Parks CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington State Parks formally recognized the Washington Coast Trail on July 31, 1998, and agreed to work in partnership with NCTA. NCTA originated the idea for the Washington Coast Trail. The partnership involves trail development and recognition on Washington State Parks lands.
• Volunteers for Outdoor WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTA's executive director received training in trail building, maintenance, and leading trail projects through Volunteers for Outdoor Washington. This relationship contributed to NCTA's volunteer program methodology.
• Coastwalk (California Coastal Trail)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoastwalk is a non-profit dedicated to completing the California Coastal Trail and improved coastal access. NCTA links to Coastwalk resources; books about the California Coastal Trail benefit Coastwalk. Both organizations share the goal of developing coastal trail segments in California.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTA works with the National Park Service on multiple trail initiatives including the Olympic Coastal Strip in Washington, Redwood National Park trails, and the Ala Kahakai Trail in Hawaii. NPS provided the Ala Kahakai National Trail Study and Final Environmental Impact Statement (January 1998).
• Washington Water Trails AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPotential collaborative project for developing a Willapa Bay water trail and kayak route as an alternative to ferry crossings along the Washington Coast Trail.
• Makah Indian Nation (Makah Tribe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Makah Tribe manages trail access on their reservation and is completing the only major missing link in the Washington Coast Trail. NCTA coordinates with the tribe for trail access and recognition.
• Quinault Indian NationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Quinault tribe grants individuals permission for beach access through a 'beach pass' upon request, facilitating travel along the Washington Coast Trail through their lands.
• Oregon State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon State Parks manages the official Oregon Coast Trail. NCTA collaborates with Oregon State Parks through DIG! events that provide tools, training, and volunteer labor for trail maintenance in state parks.
• American Hiking SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNCTA participates in National Trails Day, created by the American Hiking Society in 1993 to establish a nationwide network of trails. NCTA's West Coast Trail End to End event was registered as a National Trails Day event.
• Trans-Canada Trail FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTA has presented a unique trail concept (Sunset Coast Trail) to the Trans-Canada Trail Foundation as an extension of their trail ending in Victoria, BC — connecting Washington to Alaska for the National Coast Trail.
• US Forest ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is managed by US Forest Service and NCTA coordinates volunteer trail work (DIG! events) at Oregon Dunes NRA with USFS involvement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Trans-Canada Trail Foundation: Canadian cross-country trail network — NCTA presented the Sunset Coast Trail concept as a trans-border extension, making it a directly comparable long-distance trail network partner in adjacent geography.

Direct peers

• The Mountaineers: Pacific Northwest outdoor recreation club publishing coastal trail guidebooks — NCTA has awarded its Coastal Education Award to Mountaineers-authored books (1996 and 1997), reflecting an overlapping audience and editorial mission.
• Coastwalk: California-based nonprofit dedicated to completing the California Coastal Trail and improving coastal access — an explicit partner of NCTA that shares the same coastal trail development mission in California.
• Surfrider Foundation: Coastal-focused environmental nonprofit advocating for beach access, water quality, and coastal preservation — shares NCTA's coastal conservation mission and grassroots chapter structure.
• Washington Trails Association: Statewide Washington hiking trail advocacy and volunteer maintenance nonprofit — uses the same volunteer trail work model as NCTA's DIG! events and serves an overlapping Pacific Northwest donor base.
• Washington Water Trails Association: Nonprofit developing water-based trail routes and paddling experiences in Washington — an explicit NCTA partner for a potential Willapa Bay water trail complementing the Washington Coast Trail.
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Nonprofit that manages and protects the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail — a long-distance hiking trail nonprofit using a similar volunteer-and-donation model, with staffed operations and federal partnerships analogous to NCTA's West Coast Trail work.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit that converts former rail corridors into multi-use trails — a directly comparable trail-building nonprofit with similar advocacy, federal partnerships, and membership-based funding model.
• American Hiking Society: National nonprofit that advocates for hiking trails, trails funding, and National Trails Day — a recognized NCTA partner with a directly overlapping mission of protecting and expanding the U.S. hiking trail network.

Broad incumbents

• National Park Trust: National nonprofit focused on completing national park trails and acquiring park lands — a larger, broader organization operating in the same conservation-trail funding space as NCTA but at national-park scale.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-coast-trail-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NATIONAL COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION