Montana Recreational Trails Program Grants Awarded

News and Adventure from Glacier National Park

Montana State Parks announced today that 54 trail organizations, communities, and various land-managing agencies throughout Montana will receive federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) federal grant awards for their projects in 2017.

69 RTP applications were received this year from a variety of eligible applicants, including federal and state agencies, towns, cities, counties, and private trail clubs and organizations.

The funds are appropriated to the states through legislation passed by Congress called the FAST Act (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation) that provides funding for the program through 2020. The Recreational Trails Program current awards total approximately $1.66 million in federal funds. Funds have been approved and will be allocated to the highest-scoring 54 projects based upon their relative scores and State Trails Advisory Committee recommendations.

Foys to Blacktail Trails Inc. secured the $90,000 award to complete the trail connector between Herron Park and Blacktail Mountain. Building the final segment of the Foy’s to Blacktail Trail is the culmination of 16 years of persistent work by Flathead County and the volunteer-driven nonprofit Foy’s to Blacktail Trails (FTBT), formed in 2001 with the goal of preserving historic CCC trail linkage between Herron Park and Blacktail Mountain. Bridger Ski Foundation received $70,000 to assist with upgrading trail grooming equipment and West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation received $60,000 to complete trail improvements and provide additional connector trails on the popular Rendezvous trail system.

The RTP Program awards grants through an annual competitive application process. Projects can range from construction and maintenance of trails, development of trailside and trailhead facilities, avalanche education and trainings, and interpretive programs.

A list of the successful 2017 Recreational Trails Program grant recipients is available here: http://stateparks.mt.gov/recreation/rtpGrants.html

Jeff
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