þ Gaining momentum
Land deal, $3 million proposed for Whitefish trail
By DAVE REESE
Special to the Inter Lake
A plan to create a 75-mile recreation trail around Whitefish recently gained momentum when a wealthy Whitefish landowner offered $3 million to help fund the project.
Mike Goguen, who is building a large estate overlooking Whitefish Lake, has proposed to exchange 560 acres of his land near Boyle Lake for 440 acres of state land near Beaver Lake.
In addition, he would give $3 million to the city of Whitefish for management of the Trail Runs Through It a recreation trail proposed on state, private and federal land in and around Whitefish.
In the proposed master plan, the trail will be a loop from Spencer Lake west of Whitefish to Beaver Lake, east to Swift Creek, up Taylor Creek to Big Mountain, down Big Mountain Road and connecting with the Fish Trails trail system being built in Whitefish.
The Trail Runs Through It combines portions of existing recreational trails with new trails for mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders.
A public meeting in Whitefish on Aug. 30 will give citizens a chance to review the trail plans. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge. Comments from that meeting will be included in the final draft that will be sent to the State Land Board for its Sept. 18 meeting.
The Goguen proposal gives the project a needed boost, trail spokeswoman Lisa Jones said, because the cost of actually building the trail and who would pay for it has not been addressed.
The city of Whitefish will maintain the trail once it s built.
Personally I think this is a win-win, Jones said. The public gets an additional 120 acres in the deal and we re able to figure out how to pay for the trail system. How many bake sales can we have to help build a project like this?
Whitefish Mayor Andy Feury said Goguen s offer is an important step in implementing the Trail Runs Through It portion of the Whitefish neighborhood plan. Goguen s proposal provides access, as well as construction funding, for the trail project.
The 560-acre parcel that Goguen owns is on Lupfer Road off of U.S. 93 North just west of Boyle Lake.
If the state approves the land exchange, Goguen would build a recreational trail on his 560 acres near Boyle Lake. (This portion would be separate from the Trail Runs Through It project, but could eventually be connected to the trail system since it s nearby.)
The 440 acres of state land that Goguen wants is contiguous with his Two Bear estate near Beaver Lake.
In addition, he would grant an easement on the Beaver Lake land and build that portion of the Trail Runs Through It trail.
It was just last winter that several Whitefish citizens began in earnest to pursue the Trail Runs Through It, which is a portion of the Whitefish Neighborhood Plan that addresses recreational use on the state lands surrounding Whitefish. In just seven months, the trail s steering committee has made great strides in bringing together several land-management agencies, city officials and the public, Jones said.
It shows what this city and its people can do when we get our mind set on something, she said.
We have incredible leadership in elected city officials, she added.
There are about 13,000 acres of state school trust land near Whitefish that are managed by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. State law mandates that school trust land provide revenue for Montana public schools and provide public recreation access.
Goguen has been a significant philanthropist in Whitefish, donating money to several local causes, including the Whitefish skateboard park, the Alpine Theatre Project and The Wave health facility.
Goguen said he would place the state land under a conservation easement that would limit future development.
I am an avid outdoorsman and I intend to use the property for conservation and quiet enjoyment, Goguen said. With this exchange, we ll be protecting the land in perpetuity.
On the Net:
www.trailrunsthroughit.org
Trail meeting
A public meeting in Whitefish Aug. 30 will give citizens a chance to review trail plans. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge.