2006 National Trails Fund Projects

2006 National Trails Fund Winners

As of 2006, the National Trails Fund has awarded more than $300,000 to grassroots organizations all over the nation working to establish, protect and maintain foot trails in America. Click on the links below to see details of the winning projects for 2006.

Camp Tyler Foundation

Location: Whitehouse, TX

About:Camp Tyler Outdoor School is a premier outdoor learning center located along the shores of Lake Tyler. Our programs and activities, which began in 1949 and take place on more than 350 wooded acres, and are dedicated to providing physical, education, and social resources for the children of East Texas and beyond. We are the oldest continuously operation, not for profit children’s camp in the U.S.

Project and Use of NTF:Camp Tyler is one of the nation’s oldest and best known outdoor education facilities. The National Trails Fund grant will be used to purchase the materials to construct a ½ mile barrier-free trail, allowing for an increased level of accessibility. The trail will join the residence camping area with several outlying educational activity areas and will include a water fountain

 

Carteret County Wildlife Club

Location: Havelock, NC

About: Conservation, education, and recreation is the motto of the Carteret County Wildlife CLub, and many ongoing activities reflect this commitment.

Project and Use of NTF:The National Trails Fund grant will be used to construct 3-foot wide walkways over wetlands on the Neusiok Hiking Trail. This is a 22-mile trail in the Croatan National Forest and will be incorporated into the proposed North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The growing popularity of this section of trail has made the importance of protecting the wetlands along it an urgent issue.

 

Coastwalk

Location: Sebastopol, CA

About: Coastwalk is a grassroots, nonprofit organization whose vision is to see a completed California Coastal Trail (CCT) that will stretch from Oregon to Mexico.

Project and Use of NTF: The National Trails Fund Grant will connect existing sections of the CCT, by constructing a new one-mile section between Navarro Point Preserve and the Campbell public access easement along the central Mendocino coast. This project will improve access and hiker safety along the coast.

 

Colorado Mountain Club

Location:Golden, CO

About: The Colorado Mountain Club works to ensure that current and future generations have the access and ability to enjoy Colorado’s open spaces and outdoor activities.

Project and Use of NTF:Colorado Mountain Club will use its National Trails Fund award to publish a pocket guidebook entitled, Hiking Colorado’s Roadless Gems. The book, which will highlight 20 hikes in unprotected roadless areas, will build a much needed constituency by guiding hikers to these roadless areas while at the same time drawing attention to their threats and challenges.

 

Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust

Location: Lusby, MD

About:The Trust currently owns more than 50 acres on the Hellen Creek watershed in eastern Maryland.

Project and Use of NTF: Inadequate trails and lack of signage have led to the area being underused or misused. This project will repair stairs leading to Hellen Creek making it more accessible to the public and create signs to prevent unwanted access by off-road vehicles.

 

Eastern Queens Alliance, Idlewild Park Preservation Committee

Location:Jamaica, NY

About:Idlewild Park is a 224-acre wetland preserve with no designated trails managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Project and Use of NTF:The National Trails Fund grant will be used to build the first section (3,270 feet) of a trail system to guide visitors through the park as well as install interpretive signs for self-guided nature walks.

 

Elkhorn City Area Heritage Council

Location:Elkhorn City, KY

About: Long known as the Gateway to the Breaks, the community has garnered a national reputation as an adventure and cultural tourism hotspot.

Project and Use of NTF: A 2.6-mile hiking trail, the Russell Fork Greenway, will be built along the Russell Fork River, from Ratliff Hole to Elkhorn City. This is the first priority of the Russell Fork River connection Plan that will connect to the Pine Mountain Trail as well as other trails in the Southeast Foot Trails Coalition. The grant will also allow for the purchase of tools and the development of a sustainable trail crew for future trail maintenance.

 

Friends of Little Pend Oreille

Location:Colville, WA

About:The Friends of Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is an independant, volunteer, non-profit 501c(3) organization chartered in 2000. Our organization is dedicated to promoting the conservation of native fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, providing educational opportunities, and fostering understanding and appreciation of the Refuge.

Project and Use of NTF:The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is a 40,198-acre refuge with no established trails. The National Trails Fund grant will be used to construct the first trail in a series to be named the McDowell Marsh Environmental Education Trail. The grant will be used to purchase the materials for the wheelchair accessible trail surface.

 

Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association

Location:Rome, GA

About: The Georgia Pinhoti Trail is the longest foot trail in Georgia.

Project and Use of NTF: The Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association will prepare topographic maps for each section of the trail, print tri-fold brochures and develop an educational plan. In this process they will identify current gaps where the trail relies on public roadways, furthering the mission of establishing off-road paths, which will improve safety and enjoyment.

 

Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners

Location:Kanab, UT

About: The Partners is the official support organization for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Project and Use of NTF: The National Trails Fund grant will be used to construct a universally accessible trail at Devil’s Garden, one of the most popular areas of the monument. Due to its high visitation, Devil’s Garden is susceptible to environmental damage caused by visitors. Projects covered by the grant will include: an interpretive sign area, stabilizing the main trail route and reducing social trails. This project will increase accessibility, improve the visitor experience, enhance educational opportunities and preserve this natural resource for future generations.

 

High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew

Location:Fresno, CA

About: The High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew assists professional land managers in the preservation and maintenance of public lands.

Project and Use of NTF:Their National Trails Fund project will recruit, sponsor, outfit and monitor a student from an under-represented demographic group from local colleges for the Forest Service Volunteer Wilderness Ranger Summer Internship Program.

 

North Coast F.O.R.E.S.T. Association

Location:Gasquet, CA

About: The North Coast F.O.R.E.S.T. Association (Forest Outreach, Restoration, Education, Stewardship and Trails) is a nonprofit cooperative association for the Smith River National Recreation Area and Six Rivers National Forest.

Project and Use of NTF:The awarded grant will be used for their Myrtle Creed Interpretive Trail Improvement project by replacing a 25-year old bridge, constructing a set of stairs, and purchasing new interpretive signs.

 

Pacific Northwest Trail Association

Location:Sedro-Woolley, WA

Mission: To construct, protect and maintain the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail in a manner that makes a lasting contribution to the recreation, education, and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Project and Use of NTF:This project will complete the construction of a .8-mile trail from the Second Beach Trailhead on the Quileute Reservation to the south end of First Beach. The trail will allow visitors to visit the town of LaPush and enjoy a loop-hike along the beach. The trail will also serve as a Tsunami evacuation route for the Quileute Indian Tribe.

 

Superior Hiking Trail Association

Location:Two Harbors, MN

About: SHTA is a Minnesota non-profit corporation whose members are dedicated to the completion, preservation and promotion of the Superior Hiking Trail.

Project and Use of NTF:The National Trails Fund grant will replace three 16-foot bridges and 200-feet of boardwalk that have severely deteriorated in Tettegouche State Park as a National Trails Day project the weekend of June 3-4, 2006. The grant will pay for the materials as well as accommodations and food for 30-40 volunteers.

*Recipient of the Galen Rowell National Trails Fund award for 2006. For more information please visit www.bythom.com/chasing.htm

 

The Norman Bird Sanctuary

Location:Middletown, RI

About: Each year, approximately 15,000 visitors hike the Sanctuary’s extensive trail system and take part in their environmental education and outreach programs.

Project and Use of NTF:The funding from American Hiking Society will allow the sanctuary to enter phase two of its universally accessible trail project, which began in 2001, making the trails accessible to all members of the population.

 

Wallingford Land Trust

Location: Wallingford, CT

About: The Wallingford Land Trust, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of natural habitats and areas of scenic beauty in Wallingford, CT.

Project and Use of NTF:Wallingford Land Trust currently manages more than 200 acres of open space divided into three properties. The National Trails Fund Grant will be used to install a message center at each of the locations to promote hiking and enhance the enjoyment of open space and nature, promote trail safety and protect the ecological environment.The National Trails Fund grant will provide for the costs of materials for signs and gates for five new miles of non-motorized trail for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Weber County, Utah. This is a ninety-mile long non-motorized path across the Wasatch Range. The trail system will enhance access to open space and provide a connection to other trails in the area.

 

Weber Pathways

Location: Ogden, UT

About: Weber Pathways is a non-profit organization in Weber County, Utah, dedicated to hiking trails, and pathways for horseback riders, crosscountry skiers, snowshoers, and other non-motorized trail users.

Project and Use of NTF:The National Trails Fund grant will provide for the costs of materials for signs and gates for five new miles of non-motorized trail for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Weber County, Utah. This is a ninety-mile long non-motorized path across the Wasatch Range. The trail system will enhance access to open space and provide a connection to other trails in the area.