Prickly Pear Land Trust is currently working on its most ambitious trail maintenance project yet.
The project aims to address approximately 12 miles of Forest Service trails that have not been maintained for years, leading to hazards for users and making some trails impassable.
The U.S. Forest Service approached PPLT with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, seeking assistance in clearing some of the deferred maintenance backlog on trails around Helena.
Prickly Pear Land Trust agreed to take on the project. To facilitate the work, PPLT is partnering with the Montana Conservation Corps to utilize their sawyers.
Nate Kopp, program and trail director for PPLT, stated, “It’s essentially the first significant maintenance on some of these trails since the beetle kill over a decade ago.”
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This year marks the beginning of what could be a four-year project. Kopp expressed optimism that they may not require the full four years allotted for the work.
The focus of this year’s work is about 4 miles of the Switchback Ridge trail, connecting to the Continental Divide.
Kopp added, “It’s a relatively popular trail and when combined with the Forest Service’s work on the CDT, it should be open for business next year in a way that it hasn’t been in over a decade. So we’re very excited about it.”
“Essentially, this trail was almost closed, except for a narrow corridor that could accommodate the width of a backpack or handlebars. This project will truly open it up and also serve as a fire break if needed,” he explained.
Next year, the focus will shift to the Colorado Mountain area, which has also been heavily impacted by beetle-killed trees. The work will be similar to Switchback Ridge, with an emphasis on upgrading the trail to pedestrian standards.
In the third year of the project, the work will move to the Brooklyn Bridge Timber sale area in the South Hills.
The fourth year serves as a “built-in buffer” in case any work needs to be revisited due to wildfire or weather events.
The project does not involve creating new trails but focuses on maintaining existing ones that have been neglected due to lack of funding.
The estimated cost of the project is around $200,000, with PPLT contributing approximately $50,000. Tim Lawrence, PPLT’s trails and parks manager, emphasized that the project’s impact is not just measured in miles covered but in the resources deployed.
Kopp highlighted, “We’re working to have a greater impact in our region, and this project is one way to do that. We want to be a resource for the community and beyond, operating in a four-county area.”
