USFS to propose motorized trail system on Blacktail

The Flathead National Forest’s Swan Lake Ranger District may soon release a proposed action to create a motorized trail system on Blacktail Mountain.

A letter was sent out in October of 2007 to determine if sufficient interest in such a trail system existed to warrant a proposed action, and project leader Andrew Johnson says the letter generated a significant amount of public comment, indicating that the interest does exist.

“Right now, it’s just an idea,” Johnson said. “But we will probably carry it forward in the next six months more formally. We’ve gotten a lot of comments expressing interest in expanding motorized vehicle activity in the Flathead National Forest, in general, and we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in it in the last few years.”

The Swan Lake Ranger District initially proposed adding more opportunities for motorized recreation in the Island Unit portion of the district, which includes Blacktail Mountain. Specifically, the proposal focused on adding several miles of trail to an existing system — approximately 12 miles in length — below the Blacktail Mountain Ski Area.

The existing motorized trail, identified as the Blacktail/Wild Bill OHV trail, accommodates conventional 4-wheel drive vehicles such as Jeeps and is currently the only trail system in the Flathead National Forest that is open to full-size motor vehicles.

Flathead National Forest contains approximately 150 miles of trails that are open to motor vehicles, but the majority is also open to hiking, horses and bicycle use. Approximately 125 miles of those trails restrict  motorized use by all vehicles except motorcycles. Of the remaining 25 miles, just 13 miles are open to both motorcycles and ATVs 50 inches or less in width.

The October 2007 letter stated that the Swan Lake Ranger District was considering the addition of three types of trails to the existing system, including new loops that would serve as Jeep trails open to full-size off-road vehicles, new loops open only to ATV’s 50 inches or less in width, and a number of technical braids intended to incorporate challenge features.

“Initially, when that letter went out over a year ago, we did receive a lot of comment,” Johnson said. “Many of them were people who expressed interest in motorized vehicle operation such as ATVs. Some were interested in more non-motorized recreation. It generated a lot of comment, which is great. We really wanted to get good community involvement from the start to shape a good, solid proposal, and that’s what [the letter] has done.”

The current proposal would place new Jeep trails in the Wild Bill Mountain and Stoner Creek areas, utilizing approximately 19 miles of existing roads in the areas to the east and west of the Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. The proposed roads were formerly used for logging but were eventually closed off. The routes would likely connect to either the Blacktail/Wild Bill trail system or to other roads currently open for public use.

“We have very limited resources, financially, to maintain or construct new trails,” Johnson said. “That is why we want to work in partnership with the community, not only in the design but for the long-term upkeep of those trails. We’re asking the community to step up to the plate and help us build it and then help us maintain it, because we don’t have the funding to do that.

“Those old roads make great opportunities for trails, because they’re already there. What we propose is making use of the existing road network as much as we can and do it with community partners to help us maintain it.”

The Swan Lake Ranger District is presently considering motorized trail routes on both the east side of Blacktail Mountain, above Lakeside, and on the west side closer to Kila and Browns Meadow.

Before such a trail system could be created, the Forest Service would need to conduct a detailed analysis of environmental and social effects. Johnson said the district will likely present a proposed action in the spring, at which time meetings would be held and the public invited to comment.

Johnson said several motorized user groups have expressed special interest in the project, including the Skyliners 4x4 group out of Polson and the Big Sky Four Wheelers group, which is based primarily in the Kalispell area. These and other motorized user groups, who previously formalized partnerships with the Forest Service to maintain and improve the existing trail system, are anxious to expand their partnerships with the new project.

However, some non-motorized users have expressed concern with the proposal. Johanna Bangman, who lives in Lakeside and has long been active with the Foys to Blacktail Trails project, said she only recently learned that such a proposal was being considered.

“I live in Lakeside, and there aren’t any hiking trails here,” Bangman said. “Some people in Lakeside would like to create a non-motorized trail on the east side of Blacktail that would go up and connect with the Foys to Blacktail Trail. Some would like Blacktail to remain non-motorized. It’s hard to share hiking trails with motorized vehicles.”

Bangman said that while she is concerned that dust will become a greater issue with more motorized use, she believes both motorized and non-motorized use could be accommodated in areas separate from one another.

Johnson said that any new trails added to the existing trail system would also be open to non-motorized use. Although exclusively non-motorized trails are not currently being considered, he said the Forest Service remains open to further discussion.