Four Juneau trail projects seek federal grants, with comments due by Oct. 31

The City and Borough of Juneau, Trail Mix Inc. and Alaska State Parks are seeking state Multi-Use Trails Program money for four Juneau-area trail projects. The state posted the notices Sept. 30, and public comments close between Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, depending on the project.

The program draws on federal Recreational Trails Program funds, which reimburse up to 90 percent of eligible costs. Applicants must cover the remaining 10 percent. None of the notices lists a dollar amount.

The city's Christopher Trail Improvements would make the trail walkable and bikeable from above the Basin Road Gold Creek bridge to a new pedestrian bridge over Gold Creek near the Cope Park picnic area. Work would run from July 1 to Oct. 31, 2027. Comments are due Oct. 24 to Parks and Recreation Director Marc Wheeler at [email protected] or 907-586-6226.

Trail Mix is seeking two grants. One would repair the first two miles of the Montana Creek trail with new tread, drainage and retaining features. The other would continue Peterson Lake Trail repairs from mile 2 toward the cabin, removing damaged boardwalk and building muskeg and water crossings. Both projects would run from April 2027 through October 2028. Comments are due Oct. 29 to Meghan Tabacek at [email protected] or 907-302-5695.

Alaska State Parks wants funding for a crew to handle brushing, upkeep, signs and tools on Eagle Beach State Recreation Area trails, which serve skiing, hiking and cabin access. That work would run from June 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2028. Comments are due Oct. 31 to [email protected] or 907-465-4563.

In a July 3 memo to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, Wheeler wrote that the Assembly's June 8 budget cut $75,000 from parks and landscape maintenance. As a result, he wrote, "we reduced our contract with Trail Mix by $75,000 to eliminate brushing on CBJ owned trails in FY2027." The memo also proposed handing maintenance of the North Bridget Cove Beach Access Trail to State Parks, saying "we feel consolidating our trail maintenance within the Gold Creek watershed makes operational sense." The Christopher Trail lies within that same watershed.

Applications for the grants are due Oct. 30. The 2026 program manual caps awards at $300,000 for non-motorized and diversified projects. An advisory committee will score applications in public meetings, usually held in December, with awards announced in February or March.