Group submits application to state for trail expansion

Whitefish Legacy Partners is applying for a conservation easement in the second phase of its goal to close the loop of the Whitefish Trail circling around Whitefish Lake.

Whitefish City Council March 20 unanimously approved submitting a trail easement application to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for an easement across 17.5 miles of state trust lands. The city would hold the easement, while Legacy Partners would develop the trail.

Legacy Partners executive director Heidi Van Everen said the easement looks to connect the existing Whitefish Trail system at Beaver Lakes to Swift Creek.

“This proposal initiates the effort to consider this,” she said.

This section of trail includes a pedestrian bridge to cross the BNSF Railway tracks, a section of boardwalk to cross Lazy Creek and a suspension bridge at the Swift Creek crossing.

“This are is very challenging in terms of the landscape and terrain and also in the private partnerships we will have to negotiate with to get the trail to go through,” Van Everen said. “We’ve included alternate routes to make the connection.”

The proposal will undergo public scoping and environmental review process expected to take a year, according to Legacy Partners. Construction of the trail is proposed to take place in 2019/2020.

Legacy Partners plans to apply for funding for the acquisition of the easement and construction of the trail through the Federal Lands Access Program and the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.

There are four phases remaining in Whitefish Legacy Partners efforts to “close the loop” of the Whitefish Trail. The nonprofit behind the trail is aiming to complete the entire loop that would create a network of trail through the forestland beside Beaver, Dollar and Woods lakes west of town sweeping north to Swift Creek, then climbing up the lower flanks of Big Mountain into Hellroaring Basin before traversing below Elk Highlands to Haskill Basin and eventually into town.

The Whitefish Trail already includes 36 miles of trail and 10 trailheads.

Legacy Partners expects to break ground this spring on Phase One of its “close the loop” initiative when it begins work on a new trail through Haskill Basin. The trail will connect Whitefish Mountain Resort to Whitefish with 5.5 miles of new trail, scenic overlooks and two new trailheads. The grand opening of the trail is set for October. Legacy Partners this month finished fundraising of the remaining $200,000 match needed for the trail. The group had already secured $253,000 in grant funding for the section of trail.