Montana Creek, Peterson Lake among four Juneau trails up for federal grant money

The City and Borough of Juneau, Trail Mix Inc. and Alaska State Parks are seeking state Multi-Use Trails Program grants for work on four Juneau-area trails, including Montana Creek and Peterson Lake, according to public notices posted Sept. 30.

Trail Mix wants to repair the first two miles of the Montana Creek trail, firming up the tread, adding drainage and building retaining features while maintaining Montana Creek habitat. A second Trail Mix project would pick up Peterson Lake Trail repairs at mile 2 and work toward the cabin, tearing out damaged boardwalk and building crossings over muskeg and water. Both would run from April 2027 through October 2028.

The city's Christopher Trail project would make the trail walkable and bikeable from above the Basin Road bridge over Gold Creek to a new pedestrian bridge across the creek near the Cope Park picnic area. Work would run from July through October 2027.

Alaska State Parks wants money for a crew to brush trails, maintain them, and add signs at Eagle Beach State Recreation Area, whose trails are used for skiing, hiking and reaching public-use cabins. That work would run from June 2027 through December 2028.

None of the notices lists a dollar amount. The program, funded by the federal Recreational Trails Program, reimburses up to 90% of eligible costs, and winners must cover at least 10%. Non-motorized projects can get up to $300,000, according to the 2026 program manual.

Applications are due Oct. 30. A state advisory committee usually scores them in public meetings in December, and awards are announced in February or March. Public comments on the Juneau projects are due between Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, depending on the project, to the contacts listed in each notice.