Bigfork-Harrell Forest Community Trails and Conservation Project

August 3, 2023 – Please Join us for the Grand Opening Celebration of the Harrell Forest Trails! 

Flathead Land Trust, Trust for Public Land and Montana Land Reliance are so excited to celebrate the opening of the Harrell Forest Trails with you this fall! Located on the flanks of Swan Hill, the community of Bigfork will soon enjoy over 5 miles of new trail throughout the 238-acre parcel of conserved land.

In collaboration with The Trust for Public Land and their 50th Anniversary commemoration, the celebration will take place on Friday, September 22nd, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the trailhead of the Harrell Forest Community Trails, located a short distance from downtown. All guests will take a shuttle from a nearby parking location due to limited parking. More information will be shared prior to the event.

There will be small bites, music, and a few words from local leaders and stakeholders that helped us make Harrell Forest Community Trails a reality. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about this project and see the impact it will have on the Bigfork community.

Space is limited, so please RSVP >>HERE<<to reserve your spot.

Click Here To Visit Our Main Harrell Forest Community Trails Page>>

July 5, 2023 – Project Update: The vision of the Harrell Forest community trail system is coming to fruition before our very eyes! This spring, Montana Made Trails began trail building and is making great progress. In early summer, JD Thinning began constructing the trailhead amenities, including a 23-space parking lot with an access driveway.

Just a reminder that while work is still ongoing, the trails will not be open to the public, but we will let you know as soon as they are open! Stay tuned for the Grand Opening event, in concert with Trust for Public Land’s 50th Anniversary celebration, in late September.

November 1, 2022 – Project Update: We have been working diligently with our partners, The Trust for Public Land and Montana Land Reliance, this year on project planning and design, securing funding, and the conservation easement and management plan development. Here’s where we’re at:

The preliminary trail and trailhead design has been completed. Our professional trail designer, Forestoration, focused on trail sustainability and safety while laying out the system. In total, we anticipate 4.5 miles of new non-motorized trail that will provide users with a variety of enjoyable experiences. In October, we awarded the trail construction contract to Montana Made Trails and work will begin in spring of 2023. In addition, we will also be awarding the trailhead construction contract soon. Trailhead construction will also begin in spring of 2023. The new trailhead will be located on the west side of the property just off of Bigfork Stage Road. We are anticipating a grand opening of the new trail system and trailhead by late summer, 2023!

Click here for a map of the preliminary trail system design>>

Additionally, over the past year, we have formed a community-led advisory committee to assist with the overall effort. The committee has shared their opinions and perspectives, studied areas of concern, and is providing recommendations to our team to guide decision making. Furthermore, their significant involvement in crafting a management plan will help guide the direction of the property and its uses going forward. The Bigfork-Harrell Forest Community Advisory Committee includes:
– Byron and Dana Whitney
– Doug Mitchell
– Margaret Notley
– Brian Sugden
– Mark Schiltz
– as well as representatives from Forestoration, Montana Access Project, Trust for Public Land and Flathead Land Trust.

This spring, partners were able to secure two major grants through the Montana Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and the Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program (MTSGP). In addition, Flathead Land Trust raised $40,000 through the Whitefish Community Foundation Great Fish Community Challenge this summer. These grant funds will allow for commencement of both trailhead and trail system construction starting in the spring of 2023. While these funds will get us started, we will need future support of our efforts soon. To find out how to get involved and support the Bigfork-Harrell Forest Community Trails, contact Paul at ptravis@flatheadlandtrust.org or make a donation HERE>>

March 1, 2022 – Project Update: Flathead Land Trust, along with project partners The Trust for Public Land, Montana Land Reliance, and Montana Access Project have been working together to create over four miles of new community trails and permanently protect 238 acres of forestland in Bigfork’s backyard.

The trail system and associated trailhead are currently in the design phase and we hope to have a final design by this spring. An advisory committee that includes stakeholders and Bigfork community members will create a management plan for the property that ensures safety and sustainability remain at the forefront of the overall recreational amenity. The committee and project partners will work together to disseminate a draft of the management plan for public to review and to solicit comments. In addition, project partners are currently working towards protection of the entire property through a conservation easement which will be held by Montana Land Reliance. The easement will protect the land permanently from future residential development while retaining its open space for recreation and outdoor educational uses.

This winter, FLT and project partners are applying for grant funding for the project. If awarded, they would partially fund the trail and trailhead construction with a proposed date to break ground by this fall. In addition, we will be asking for donations from the community starting in late spring which will include a public kick off event and tours. Your support will help make it all possible and will be a great way learn more about the project and the substantial community benefits it will bring to Bigfork and the Flathead Valley. Finally, we are anticipating that the new trail system will be completed and open to the public by early summer, 2023.

The overall goal of this project is to create a recreation asset that residents and visitors can enjoy and be proud of, while also protecting the land for community benefit. While The Trust for Public Land is currently the property owner, long-term ownership and management will transfer to Flathead Land Trust at end of this year. We could not be more excited to serve our community by providing new front-country recreation right next to Bigfork and we are committed to ensuring and sustaining its long-term conservation and recreational benefits for many years to come.

Get Outdoors Bigfork: In addition to the Bigfork-Harrell Forest project, partners are working together to support economic vitality, health and wellness, and quality of life for residents and visitors through the development of a Bigfork Area Outdoor Recreation Plan. The project will inventory existing and potential recreation destination/connections in Bigfork, vicinity, and N. Flathead Lake region, recommend goals and objectives for sustainable recreation use. Find out more about Get Outdoors Bigfork on the Montana Access Project website HERE>>

September 9th, 2021 – We are so excited to announce that Flathead Land Trust is working with The Trust for Public Land and Montana Land Reliance on a partnership to create over four miles of new community trails and permanently protect 238 acres of forestland in Bigfork’s backyard.

Located on the flanks of Swan Hill just a short distance from downtown, the protected land, once slated for development of 17 new residential lots, will offer unfettered views of Flathead Lake and the Swan Mountain Range, while providing public access to extraordinary front county recreational opportunities for the community of Bigfork, and offering protection and landscape connectivity for wildlife species such as whitetail deer, turkeys, and black bear.

“This new community asset will not only provide residents with additional outdoor opportunities close to home, but it will also allow for continued forest health management to reduce the risk of wildfire threats which have become so prevalent in our region,” said Lucas Cain, Project Manager with The Trust for Public Land. “The Trust for Public Land is proud to be part of this incredible opportunity of safeguarding access to the outdoors for both current and future generations of Montanans.”

The new trail system, though not officially open to the public until the project is complete, will complement existing trails such as Swan River Trail that have become increasingly crowded due to an uptick in usage during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Project planning and community involvement will take place over the coming months, with groundbreaking sometime late next year and eventual opening to the public in 2023.

“Flathead Land Trust is proud to be partnering on this exciting project which will serve the community of Bigfork and the Flathead Valley with a recreational amenity right next to town and conserve an important piece of open space for future generations to enjoy.  We look forward to engaging with the community as we work towards providing much needed front country recreation on this property that otherwise could have been lost to subdivision and  development”, said Paul Travis, Executive Director for Flathead Land Trust.

While The Trust for Public Land is currently the property owner, long-term ownership and management will transfer to the Flathead Land Trust, with the conservation easement holder being the Montana Land Reliance. The project partners would like to thank the Alan and Cindy Horn Family for their generosity and vision in making this community project possible.

For more information about this exciting project, contact Paul Travis at ptravis@flatheadlandtrust.org or 406-752-8293.