The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a federal-aid program that provides funding for the development, renovation, and maintenance of recreational trails and trailside facilities.
Donor Name: Fish, Wildlife & Parks
State: Montana
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 01/16/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administers this program at the federal level while Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) administers the program at the state level.
RTP grant funds are intended to provide, expand, and improve recreational trails for both motorized and nonmotorized trail uses. Trail usage may include pedestrian (hiking, running, and wheelchair access), biking, mountain biking, water trail, equestrian, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, and e-bike uses.
Funding Information
- Approximately $1.5 million is made available each year.
- Maximum award: $100,000.
Grant Period
project period: 18 months.
Eligible Project Types
- Trail projects on routes legally designated or otherwise appropriately approved by the land managing agency.
- Trails that are not currently under litigation in a court of law.
- Construction and maintenance of trails:
- Clearing/brushing on federal lands will only be allowed to the standard clearing widths identified in the appropriate federal agency trail guidelines.
- On federal lands, grants will only be approved for trails legally designated by the appropriate federal agency that are included in recognized forest plans, resource area plans, or travel plans.
- Broad scale maintenance will require specific trail identification and specific description of work to be accomplished.
- Weed control related to a trail or trail projects.
- Restoration of areas damaged by trail use.
- Development of trailside and trailhead facilities (buildings and facilities that are newly constructed or altered with federal funds are subject to the accessibility requirements contained in the Uniform Accessibility Standards).
- Providing trail and trailhead features to assist individuals with disabilities.
- Development of urban trail linkages near homes and workplaces; linkages must connect to a larger trail system.
- Operation of trails-related environmental protection and safety education programs.
- Trails information, ethics education, and interpretive information. Signs and other traffic control devices relating to trail use (such devices must conform to the
- Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices).
- Purchase of trail-specific equipment to be used on a long-term or seasonal basis
- Minor snow removal of immediate trailhead facilities for access to winter recreational areas (e.g., groomed snowmobiling or groomed cross country skiing).
Eligibility Criteria
Grant applicants may include federal, tribal, state, county, or municipal agencies (including school districts), and private corporations, including nonprofits. An organization can submit only one grant application per grant cycle.
Eligible Funding Areas
- Maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails
- Development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages for recreational trails
- Purchase and lease of recreational trail construction and maintenance equipment1
- Construction of new recreational trails (with specific requirements when federal land is involved)
- Assessment of trail conditions
- Development and dissemination of publications and operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection.
For more information, visit FWP.
