What Do I Do if I Find Old Stuff on Trail?

By Linnea Johnson

“We saw this little piece of what I thought was sheet metal sticking out of the ground,” said Brandon Tigner, North Puget Sound trails coordinator, about a curious object our volunteer crew saw while working on Woodinville’s Greenbrier Trail last December. “When we started to clear the debris around it, we realized it was a big metal object.”

Brandon notified the city of Woodinville, who determined that the object was part of a portable steam sawmill left by loggers when the area was cut over a century ago. After consulting with the state archaeologist, the city approved continuing our work in the area. Our crew simply curved the urban trail to avoid disturbing the artifact.

Our trail staff attend trainings with the archaeologist for the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks so that our crews know what to do if they find an artifact. But what should you do if you see something old on a hike? How do you know if it’s trash that you should pack out or if it’s an object you should leave alone?

Laura Phillips, archaeology collections manager at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, explained that an artifact is defined as any object “that people made or transported or modified.” That means there are artifacts all around us — including the candy wrappers you can pick up as a good steward.

So, you can pick up candy wrappers. But what about that rusty chunk of metal?

“If it looks like it’s over 30 years old, leave it there,” Laura said. Why 30? “It might be even older and it’s going to tell a story.” When an object is left in its place, archaeologists are better able to piece that story together. If an object is moved, it loses its context. (Note: It’s also illegal to remove artifacts from land you do not own — or from your own property without a permit.)

Laura encourages hikers to treat the whole landscape as something that’s always been cared for.

“Rest assured,” she said, “people have been in the mountains since time immemorial.”

So, you’re on the trail, and you see an old object. What’s next?

1. Does the object look 30-plus years old? Leave it be.

2. Take a photo of the artifact (pro tip: place another object next to it for size). If possible, record its GPS coordinates.

3. When you return to the trailhead, confirm who manages the land. Examples of land managers include county parks, tribal governments, Washington State Parks and the U.S. Forest

Why artifacts are important

Because stories are often written by those with power, artifacts can unveil truths that would otherwise go untold. “The people in charge in a town are often the ones who controlled the stories, rather than the people who lived there,” Laura said, so artifacts “bring a story that’s different.”

Service. The land manager is the legal steward of artifacts.

4. Locate the contact information online for the land manager’s archaeologist. Share where and when you saw the artifact. Include photos or a description, as well as coordinates or a map.

5. If you’re unsure who the land manager is, contact the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation or the Burke Museum.

“We don’t pick the flowers, and we don’t pick up the artifacts,” Laura said.

Being a good steward to cultural resources is essential to leaving no trace. As part of the trail community, you are key to ensuring that artifacts can continue to teach us for generations.