Trails effort receives $181,000 state grant

The Recreational Trails Program of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has awarded Rails to Trails of Northwest Montana a $181,000 grant.

The money will enable the group to complete construction of a paved trail between Kalispell and Kila.

The trail follows the route of the historic Great Northern Railway.

Some 2.5 miles of existing gravel trail will be paved, local Rails to Trails Director Mark Crowley said.

This will complete a 10-mile trail from Kalispell to Kila and will link to Flathead Lake, part of a larger, 26-mile system.

"Every week, we see more and more families enjoying Rails-to-Trails on foot, bike and skis' Crowley said in a press release. "This is the kind of thing we need to keep the Flathead Valley a great place to raise families, as our community grows and develops. This trail is a shining example of what can be done when a grand vision is shared and acted on as a community."

The trail will link communities to Kila School and Smith Valley School, as well as Batavia and Smith Lake waterfowl production areas, providing students with not only safe routes to school, but front-door access to field trips to the waterfowl production area.

The trail, a cooperative effort between city and county governments and many state agencies, is the culmination of a 20-year effort and the hard work of countless volunteers and donors.

Recent Rails to Trails projects include installation of two bridges crossing Ashley Creek and paving of the westernmost portion of the trail in Kila. These projects required large financial commitments. The new Fish, Wildlife and Parks grant alone requires a nearly $40,000 match.

"The residents of Flathead County have a strong desire to complete this trail and provide a world-class amenity," said Horace Sanders, immediate past president of the trails group. "Every dollar sent to this will be returned five-fold. You can't make a better investment."

Rails to Trails of Northwest Montana is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to converting abandoned rail corridors to nonmotorized trails.

The group meets at 5 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks offices on Meridian Road in Kalispell. The public is always welcome.

For more information, visit www.railstotrailsofnwmt.com.