The mission of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance is to protect, preserve, and restore the wilderness qualities and biodiversity of the public lands within California's northern Santa Lucia Mountains and Big Sur coast.
The Ventana Wilderness Alliance protects the Big Sur backcountry and helps keep its rugged beauty open to all—inviting people to discover, connect, and care for these wild lands through greater access, transformative education, and lasting preservation. With your support, we steward the trails that lead into the heart of the Ventana, restore access to iconic places like the Pine Ridge Trail, and lead free backpacking trips for youth from communities historically underrepresented on our public lands. Our Trailhead Ambassadors and Volunteer Rangers educate visitors on fire safety and Leave No Trace, while our policy work ensures these forests stay climate-resilient and ecologically intact. For 26 years, we’ve been the voice of the Ventana—shaping how the land is protected, experienced, and passed on. Your donation helps us ensure these wild places remain healthy, protected, and welcoming for future generations.
I support Ventana Wilderness Alliance because they are the very model of a regional conservation organization by focusing on Monterey County's precious wilderness areas. They fight for more protective policies by partnering with the US Forest Service and engaging with elected officials. VWA also does real, on the ground, stewardship work to take care of the land. On top of that, I love their Youth in Wilderness program because it is educating and inspiring future generations of wilderness advocates and stewards.
- Vicky Hoover, San Francisco
