Palisades Ranger District to seek a share of state funding

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The Palisades Ranger District will seek Idaho Parks and Recreation Department funding for several major recreation projects near Idaho Falls.

First, the Forest Service hopes to install two trail bridges and reroute one mile of trail on the Bear Creek Trail, located west of Palisades Reservoir. The work will create a more sustainable trail that is less susceptible to erosion and make it available for a longer period of time. The request will be from the state's Off Road Motor Vehicle Fund.

The Big Elk Creek Boat Ramp is located 1.4 miles from the east side of Highway 26 and Palisades Reservoir. The Forest will seek funding to expand the parking and road opening and relocate the current bathroom.

The district will seek funding to purchase a replacement patrol snowmobile. The vehicle is needed to continue registration compliance patrols, administer snowmobile permits, groom trails, maintain a rental cabin that is only accessible by snowmobile during the winter, maintain a warming hut, and haul materials into remote backcountry areas.

And, the district is seeing grant funding for general maintenance of 282 miles of motorized trails and 298 miles of non-motorized trails.

The Idaho Parks and Recreation administers over $7 million in projects each year.