Herron Park grows from 270 to 380 acres

Herron Park near Kalispell has grown from 270 to 380 acres, thanks to a major land purchase funded by both private and public sources.

The 110-acre expansion of the Flathead County Park was made possible by a $400,000 Community Forest grant from the U.S. Forest Service matched by funds from Montana State Parks, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and hundreds of private donors.

The transaction also establishes a community forest on the property that will remain a working forest for demonstration and educational purposes. The Foy’s Community Forest will serve local schools as a classroom in the woods for hands-on teaching. Small-tract forest owners in the wildland/urban interface will learn forest management techniques including Firewise principles.

Flathead County Parks and Recreation Department is developing a long term plan for the management of the community forest.

“Today’s purchase puts us past the 80 percent point in our fundraising and land purchase effort,” said Clifford Kipp, chairman of the nonprofit group Foy’s to Blacktail Trails. “Many folks throughout the community have contributed. Now we can focus on the final 60 acres of land we need to buy — which includes the Foy’s Overlook. We hope everyone who values the trails and views it offers will step up and donate.  It’s such a great asset.”

The Foy’s to Blacktail Trails at Herron Park are just 10 minutes from downtown Kalispell and offer miles of trails for hikers, runners, cyclists and horseback riders to enjoy. The area is also the gateway to thousands of acres of publicly accessible forest lands extending southward to Blacktail Mountain.

In 2010 Foy’s to Blacktail Trails began purchasing private land adjacent to county-owned Herron Park and adding it to the park. 

Since 2010, Herron Park has grown from 120 to 380 acres.

For more information, visit FoysToBlacktailTrails.org or call 203-3939.