The Forest Service Northern Region is allocating over $26 million from the Great American Outdoors Act to improve recreation opportunities for residents and visitors in Northern Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota.
“The projects aim to address critical maintenance needs and enhance access for all visitors,” said Regional Forester Leanne Marten in a press release.
Built in 1940, maintenance work on Window Rock Cabin in the Bozeman Ranger District was undertaken last year.
Forty-one projects in the Northern Region will benefit from the funding to tackle a backlog of maintenance needs. Examples of projects include:
The Custer-Gallatin National Forest utilized $579,000 in Legacy Restoration Funds to enhance and restore 25 historic cabins, lookouts, and homesteads in southwestern Montana for public recreation rentals.
A multi-year project in the Bob Marshall Wilderness will receive $11 million for deferred maintenance. This project is part of the National Trail Priority Areas established under the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Act of 2016, involving collaboration between the Flathead, Lolo, and Helena Lewis and Clark national forests and their partners.
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Upgrades for eight Flathead National Forest cabins include new floors, windows, and furniture to maintain their appeal for future generations.
Roof replacements and utility upgrades are planned for cabins like Ben Rover, Schnaus, and Challenge. Swan Guard Station, Old Condon Cabin, and Star Meadow Cabins will also undergo accessibility improvements to meet ADA standards.
The Trapper Creek Civilian Conservation Job Corps Center will collaborate with Forest Service employees to work on historic preservation, engineering, and recreation projects in the Flathead National Forest.
At Dakota Prairie Grasslands, maintenance work will be done at the Civilian Conservation Campground near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Additionally, repairs and upgrades to the Maah Daah Hey Trail, the longest continuous single-track mountain bike trail in the U.S., will be completed, enhancing picnic areas and amenities for bikers and horseback riders.
This investment complements the proposed $2.8 billion funding in fiscal year 2025 for similar projects by the Departments of Agriculture and Interior. The Northern Region already has 171 Great American Outdoors Act projects in progress, with 21 already finished.
