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Driftless Trail Monthly Giving

Building the remarkable Driftless Trail is a labor of love and logistics. Each mile takes hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and a whole lot of grit. Your monthly gift fuels every step, from planning to building to tread.

Circular logo for the Driftless Trail.

Every stretch of trail represents a coordinated effort between volunteers, staff, and sometimes professional crews. Here’s what goes into just one mile:

  • $50,000 / mile of machine-built trail working with professional crews
  • $16,000 – $23,000 / mile of volunteer-built trail
  • 500+ hours of physical labor, from clearing brush to building tread
  • 310 hours of staff time spent planning, organizing, and supervising workdays
  • Dozens of volunteer days
  • Lumber, signage, bridges, tools, and gear to make the trail sustainable

Even with this effort, some terrain demands more. That’s where machine-built trails come in to build trails faster. Have the hiking itches? Help us reach our goal of 100 monthly donors for more miles.

With your monthly donation, you’re helping turn rugged terrain into environmentally sensitive trails. Here’s how your support stacks up:

$10/month

Your share in a community-built mile

$25/month

Support for signage, tools, and safety gear

$50/month

Fuels a volunteer workday: food, water, supplies

$100/month

Covers a full day of professional crew time

Voices From the Trail

“It’s been an honor to be able to support DALC through the years. I’m glad I can contribute each month to the development and long-term maintenance of the Driftless Trail–for all the many footsteps yet to come that will explore the Driftless and its beauty.”
—Jack Saltes – DT Pathmaker