Stewards of the Sierra National Forest

What Stewards of the Sierra National Forest does

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest (SOTSNF) is a California-based 501(c) nonprofit organization, founded in 2008 with trail operations beginning in 2009, that maintains trails and advocates for public motorized recreation access across the 1.4 million-acre Sierra National Forest — a region spanning from Yosemite National Park to Kings Canyon National Park. The organization's mission is to unite off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, dual sport and adventure bike riders, and conservation volunteers around responsible recreation, trail maintenance, education, and preservation of public land access. Its core operational capability rests on a side-by-side Rhino vehicle used since 2009 to haul equipment, clear downed trees, and move rock and sign materials for trail work.

The organization's commercial offerings consist of (1) a tiered annual and monthly membership program with five levels ranging from free to $500/year (Trail Supporter through Trail Hero), (2) the flagship 15th Annual Dual Sport & Adventure Bike Ride & Fund Raiser Dinner (October 3-4, 2026; $140 pre-entry, $160 day-of), (3) the Picacho Creek Adventure Challenge co-hosted with Salinas Ramblers Motorcycle Club (capped at 30 entries), (4) a trail maintenance donation program priced at $5 per foot of maintained trail with merchandise rewards (maps, shirts, hoodies, bumper stickers), and (5) a branded merchandise store. There is no proprietary technology platform; distribution runs through the organization's own website (WordPress), Eventbrite, GoFundMe, Facebook, email, and on-site event engagement.

The business model is community-led and event-driven. Revenue is generated primarily through small-dollar individual membership dues, event registration fees, donation-tier sales, merchandise, and periodic grassroots fundraising campaigns (e.g., a 2022 GoFundMe for equipment replacement). Customer segments include OHV/dirt-bike enthusiasts, off-road and snowmobile recreationists, and conservation volunteers — all addressed via a horizontal segmentation approach. Partnerships with BlueRibbon Coalition, California State Parks OHMVR Division, CSU Fresno, the American Motorcyclist Association, and El Cid's Mexican Restaurant support both advocacy and event operations. The organization's key strategic posture is opposition to proposed national monument designations (notably the Range of Light National Monument) that would restrict motorized recreation across the forest.

Name

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest

Legal name

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest Inc.

Website

https://sotsnf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest is a California-based nonprofit that maintains trails and advocates for public motorized recreation access across the 1.4 million-acre Sierra National Forest, serving off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and conservation volunteers through tiered memberships, annual events, and grassroots advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Conservation and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Trail maintenance services
• Public land advocacy
• Outdoor recreation nonprofit
• Adventure bike events
• Conservation volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madera

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership programs with tiered levels (Trail Supporter, Trail Leader, Trail Champion, Trail Hero) providing recurring revenue and supporter engagement.
2. Event Registration: Registration fees for annual Dual Sport & Adventure Bike Ride events ($140 pre-entry, $160 day-of), with optional add-ons for t-shirts and Saturday dinner catering.
3. Trail Maintenance Donations: Donation-based trail foot maintenance program where donors contribute $5 per foot of maintenance and receive merchandise incentives (maps, shirts, hoodies, bumper stickers).
4. Merchandise Store: Apparel and exclusive item sales through the donation store, offering t-shirts, sweatshirts, and branded merchandise.
5. Fundraising Campaigns: Periodic fundraising campaigns for specific equipment needs, such as the GoFundMe campaign to replace motor/transmission for side-by-side vehicle ($5,000 goal).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest is a nonprofit organization that sustains public access to the Sierra National Forest by organizing tiered membership programs, hosting annual dual-sport and adventure-bike fundraising rides, running a per-foot "Adopt-a-Trail" donation program that bundles branded merchandise, and conducting volunteer trail-maintenance work using a side-by-side Rhino workhorse. Its deliverables are community-conservation services and small-scale outdoor recreation events for off-highway vehicle and adventure-bike enthusiasts in California.

Product overview

Stewards of the Sierra National Forest is a nonprofit organization offering membership programs (yearly and monthly tiers ranging from free to $500 annually), annual off-road adventure bike events (including the 15th Annual Dual Sport & Adventure Bike Ride), and a trail maintenance donation program where donors receive branded merchandise. The organization focuses on promoting responsible recreation, trail maintenance, and public access to the Sierra National Forest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yearly Membership Program Tiered annual membership program with levels Member (free), Trail Supporter ($50/yr), Trail Leader ($125/yr), Trail Champion ($200/yr), and Trail Hero ($500/yr), designed for individuals who want recurring support for Sierra National Forest trail maintenance and access advocacy.
• Monthly Membership Program Recurring monthly membership program with tiered levels including Trail Supporter ($5/month), Trail Leader ($10/month), Trail Champion ($15/month), and Trail Hero ($40/month), providing ongoing support for trail maintenance and access from individual contributors.
• 15th Annual Dual Sport & Adventure Bike Ride & Fund Raiser Dinner Annual flagship two-day off-road motorcycle and adventure bike fundraising event held October 3-4, 2026, with pre-entry registration at $140 (includes event t-shirt), day-of registration at $160, optional $30/person Saturday dinner by El Cid's, and $15/night dry camping at Oakhurst Community Center; targeted at dual sport and adventure bike recreationists who use Sierra National Forest trails.
• Picacho Creek Adventure Challenge Limited-entry (30 riders) adventure bike event hosted in partnership with Salinas Ramblers Motorcycle Club on club property in eastern San Benito County within the Clear Creek Management area, sold out quickly and targeted at serious adventure-bike riders.
• Trail Maintenance Donation Program Per-foot trail maintenance donation program in which donors contribute $5 per foot of trail funding and receive tiered merchandise rewards: 1 foot = map, 5 feet = short sleeve shirt, 7 feet = long sleeve shirt, 9 feet = hooded sweatshirt, plus trail buttons and bumper stickers available at the $5 donation level.
• SOTSNF Apparel and Merchandise Donation Store Online merchandise store at sotsnf.org/donations selling branded apparel and exclusive items (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, maps, buttons, bumper stickers) where 100% of proceeds support Sierra National Forest trail maintenance and access advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2009, the trail Rhino side-by-side has been used to haul equipment and tools, clear downed trees, and haul rock and sign materials to maintain trails.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salinas Ramblers Motorcycle ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2023Hosts exclusive Picacho Creek Adventure Challenge events from club property in eastern San Benito County, Clear Creek Management area. Event limited to 30 entries, demonstrating deep collaboration with established motorcycle club for adventure bike events.
• BlueRibbon CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization advocating for responsible multiple-use recreation on public lands. Stewards of the Sierra National Forest aligns with BlueRibbon Coalition's stance on Antiquities Act reform and public land access, sharing legal advocacy resources and messaging.
• California State Parks (OHMVR Division)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division partnered with the organization to distribute OHV/OSV recreation surveys to identify economic impacts of off-road visitation to federal and California state lands.
• CSU Fresno Recreation DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted OHMVR in conducting off-road economic impact study by administering surveys to recreationists. Survey findings used to document economic importance of off-roading and snowmobiling in California.
• American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMA Racing partnership through form site integration for event registration. Links displayed on website for AMA Racing registration forms.
• El Cid's Mexican RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld Famous El Cid's Mexican Restaurant provides catering for Saturday night dinner at annual Dual Sport & Adventure Bike Ride events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Forest Foundation: Congressionally-chartered nonprofit partnering with the U.S. Forest Service on national forest stewardship and conservation. Operates at national scale across all national forests, overlapping with SOTSNF's Sierra National Forest stewardship work.
• American Motorcyclist Association (AMA): Large national motorcyclist rights and recreation organization with active advocacy on public lands access. SOTSNF directly integrates AMA Racing registration and shares the motorized recreation advocacy mission at a much smaller scale.
• Sierra Club: Largest U.S. environmental nonprofit with active Sierra Nevada forest conservation programs. Shares the Sierra forest geography and forest-stewardship mission, though with a conservation-only stance often opposed to motorized access.

Direct peers

• Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: National public-lands access advocacy organization for sportsmen. Directly comparable on the public-lands access advocacy mission and grassroots member-funded operating model, though focused on hunting/fishing rather than motorized recreation.
• National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC): National organization promoting off-highway vehicle recreation through education, trail stewardship, and advocacy. Directly comparable on OHV-focused trail maintenance and access-advocacy mission to SOTSNF's primary user base.
• Tread Lightly!: National nonprofit focused on responsible outdoor recreation ethics and trail stewardship education. Comparable mission around motorized and multi-use trail stewardship, with similar educational outreach and partner-driven funding model.
• BlueRibbon Coalition: National advocacy organization for responsible multiple-use recreation on public lands. SOTSNF is an explicit partner, and both organizations share the same Antiquities Act reform stance and motorized-access advocacy mission — making BlueRibbon Coalition the closest functional peer.

Regional players

• Friends of the Inyo: California-based nonprofit focused on Inyo National Forest conservation and public-land stewardship. Comparable regional forest stewardship nonprofit operating in the eastern Sierra with similar advocacy and volunteer-driven model.
• California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA): California state-level OHV advocacy and access organization. Overlaps with SOTSNF on California motorized recreation policy advocacy, but operates statewide rather than focusing on a single national forest.

Emerging players

• Shared Earth Foundation: Grantmaking nonprofit supporting motorized trail access and outdoor recreation stewardship. Comparable on the OHV/motorized trail funding and stewardship mission, operating as a smaller-scale funder in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100064393911413

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Stewards of the Sierra National Forest