The Forest Service Northern Region is investing more than $26 million from the Great American Outdoors Act to enhance recreation opportunities for thousands of residents and visitors across Northern Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota.
“The projects address critical maintenance needs and improve 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 receive funding to help address the backlog of needed maintenance. Examples of funded projects include:
The Custer-Gallatin National Forest utilized $579,000 in Legacy Restoration Funds to improve and restore 25 historic cabins, lookouts, and homesteads used by the public for recreation rentals in southwestern Montana.
A multi-year project in the Bob Marshall Wilderness will see an injection of $11 million in funding for deferred maintenance. This is one of the National Trail Priority Areas established under the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Act of 2016. The project is a coordinated effort between the Flathead, Lolo, and Helena Lewis and Clark national forests and their partners.
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Flathead National Forest cabins: Eight rental cabins across the forest will receive upgrades, including new floors, windows, and furniture, ensuring they remain enjoyable for future generations.
The work will include replacing the roof on Ben Rover, Schnaus, and Challenge cabins. Swan Guard Station, Old Condon Cabin, and Star Meadow Cabins will also get upgrades to utilities and improvements to accessibility to meet ADA standards.
The Trapper Creek Civilian Conservation Job Corps Center will provide student and instructor crews to work with Forest Service employees from the historic preservation, engineering, and recreation programs of the Flathead National Forest.
Dakota Prairie Grasslands: Deferred maintenance will be addressed at the Civilian Conservation Campground near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Additionally, the Maah Daah Hey Trail, boasting the longest continuous single-track mountain bike trail in the U.S., will be repaired and upgraded. This includes creating accessible picnic areas and infrastructure for bikers and horseback riders.
This investment builds upon the recent proposal from the Departments of Agriculture and Interior for a combined $2.8 billion in fiscal year 2025 funding for similar projects. The Northern Region currently has 171 Great American Outdoors Act projects in various stages of development, with 21 projects already completed.
