The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to the States to develop and maintain Recreational Trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized Recreational Trail uses.
Donor Name: California Department of Parks and Recreation
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/02/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Grants Program is an annual program that provides for well managed off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation within California by providing financial assistance to eligible agencies and organizations that develop, maintain, operate, expand, support, or contribute to well managed high-quality OHV recreation areas, roads and trails.
The RTP is typically administered every two years and is part of the motorized recreation assistance program of the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The RTP provides funds to eligible agencies and organizations within California to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for motorized recreational trail use.
Most importantly, both programs seek to responsibly maintain the wildlife, soils, and habitat of project areas in a manner that will sustain long-term OHV recreation for the enjoyment of all California.
Eligibility Criteria
- Cities, counties, Districts, state agencies, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations with management responsibilities over public lands are eligible.
- A nonprofit organization is deemed to have management responsibilities over public lands when a written agreement exists between the nonprofit organization and a public land management agency that identifies the nonprofit organization’s responsibilities over public lands to include planning, Development or construction, Acquisition, operations, or Maintenance of trails or trails related facilities.
- Public lands may be in either public or private ownership. For the purposes of the RTP, private lands will be considered as public lands provided that the Applicant has land tenure and there is reasonable public access. Reasonable public access must be assured to in writing by the Applicant and be approved by DPR.
Projects on Private Land
- For Projects on private land, there must be a written legal easement or other written legally binding agreement that ensures public access to the Project. There must be an easement filed of record, which specifies the term of the land tenure agreement.
Land Tenure Requirements
- For Development Projects, Applicants must certify to the Department that they have adequate tenure to, and site control of, properties to be improved. Adequate land tenure includes, but is not limited to:
- Ownership
- Lease
- Easement
Or similar agreements where the Applicant has adequate site control Adequate site control is the power or authority to:
- Manage, direct, superintend, restrict, regulate, govern, administer, or oversee a plot of ground suitable or set apart for some specific recreational use.
For more information, visit CDPC.
