Plans for new Seeley Lake trail system could soothe loss of mill
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) A number of partners in Seeley Lake are banking on an expansive new trail system to help rebuild the local economy, attract visitors and sooth the recent closure of Pyramid Mountain Lumber.
Scenic Montana Trails last week requested and received roughly $250,000 from Missoula County to help fund 30 miles of trails on the Lolo National Forest. The project carries and estimated cost of $1.2 million and will tie into the existing Seeley Creek Nordic Area trail system.
“This is a big deal for Seeley Lake and for me, personally,” said Kathy Kahnle with Scenic Montana Trails. “We've got an amazing team put together here. The ranger district has been working with us from day one. We've got a pretty big group of people working on this.”
The funding package for the project's first phase includes $295,000 in in-kind labor, $75,000 in private funding and $90,000 from the Forest Service, along with other sources. The $250,000 from Missoula County comes from the 2014 parks and trails bond.
Kahle said work on the first phase began last fall and will serve as the backbone of the new system. The second phase will include various trail loops while the third phase will add more experienced options.
The final phase will complete the 30-mile network, along with advanced trails and way finding.
“We've been fortunate in our funding so far that we're starting to collapse these phases a little bit,” said Kahnle. “We currently have funding and volunteers to complete the entire upper perimeter loop at this time. All the downhill trails will flow off that loop.”
According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, outdoor recreation makes up a significant portion of Montana’s economy, paying more than $1.8 billion in wages and salaries in 2024. The industry accounts for nearly 5% of total GDP – only behind Hawaii.
Project partners are banking on the trail system's potential to draw visitors to Seeley Lake and help boost the local economy, which took a hit when Pyramid Mountain Lumber closed last year.
“With the mill going down, it's really wrecked town,” said Kevin Doherty, the district ranger in Seeley Lake. “But business owners see the value of what this new system is going to bring. If you get a real, purpose-built system, there's not a lot of them around here. Once you get a full system, people will drive.”
Project partners have built a wide coalition to see the project through including the Seeley Lake Nordic Club, Radius Trail Solutions, Glacier Country, Scenic Montana Trails and local businesses.
By 2029, they expect to complete the system, topping it off with advanced trails and wayfinding. Once finished, it will provide front-country recreation and access to the wild backcountry east of Seeley Lake.
“In 18 months, we'll have 18 miles of bike trails on the ground,” said Kahnle. “That includes the youth bike racecourse. The Forest Service has some pretty exciting plans for this trail system as well.”