Alaska DOT&PF Awards $2.2M to 15 Trail Projects Statewide

Alaska's trail network just got a $2.2 million boost — and a new landlord. The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has awarded federal Recreational Trails Program money to 15 projects stretching from Kake in Southeast to Bethel in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the first round of grants since the program changed hands.

The awards are the debut of ATLAS, the Alaska Trails and Local Access System. Until last fall the Recreational Trails Program lived at the Department of Natural Resources; Administrative Order 361 moved it to DOT&PF on October 1, 2025, where it was rebranded the Multi-Use Trails Program and paired with a new volunteer review board, the Alaska Recreational Trails Advisory Committee, which scored the applications. "ATLAS represents a new chapter in how Alaska supports trails, outdoor recreation, and community connectivity," Commissioner Ryan Anderson said.

The 15 projects span motorized, non-motorized, safety, and "diversified" trail work across nearly every region of the state — from a community nature trail at Kake and the Bethel City Sub-YK Trail to a new Sno-Cat groomer, ORV park expansion, and bridge work on the Iditarod National Historic Trail. Fourteen are fully funded; only the Petersville Trails and Rescue Center's Phase III groundbreaking drew a partial award. Every recipient must cover at least 10 percent of its project cost from non-federal sources, which can include cash, donated materials, or volunteer labor.

In much of Alaska that money buys more than recreation. Trails in roadless communities double as routes for everyday access and subsistence, which is part of why the awards reach places like Kake and Bethel rather than just the road system.

Program details are at dot.alaska.gov/atlas/multi-use-trails, or through Rebecca Garrett at [email protected].