Flathead Trail Crew

Trails Don't Maintain Themselves.
That's Where FAMB - and our Supporters - Come In

Now hiring for the 2022 Season! - Click here for details.

To address the backlog of Flathead Valley trails in need of maintenance and upkeep and the chronic underfunding of trail maintenance projects at both the state and federal level, FAMB founded the Flathead Trail Crew (FTC) in 2020. Our professional, paid trail crew clears and maintains multi-use trails on state land, in the National Forest, and in city and county parks throughout the Flathead Valley. We focus particularly on trails that mountain bikers love to ride - and trails that we feel people would love riding if they were properly maintained.

FAMB's Flathead Trail Crew
Funding Sources
... and the power of matching donations

The Great Fish Community Challenge (GFCC):
The main source of funding for FAMB's Flathead Trail Crew is the The Whitefish Community Foundation's Great Fish Community Challenge. Our crew's 2021 work season was funded by donation amounting to $24,048.59 during our 2020 GFCC drive. An additional $11,250 of funds granted courtesy of the generous match-fund donors plus the Doris Schumm Community Spirit Award* of $2,500 increased our total to $37,798.59.

*This award, granted by the Whitefish Community Foundation in recognition of our dedication to improving recreational opportunities throughout the Flathead, honors the late Doris Schumm - a great supporter & friend of local nonprofits as well as an avid volunteer.

Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA):
In 2021, FAMB inked two five-year agreements with the Flathead National Forest (FNF) for a combined total of $25,000 in funding under the GAOA for us to assist in addressing the deferred maintenance backlog on FNF trails. With more GAOA funding likely in the near future, FAMB is proud to partner with FNF crews to get our local trails riding, running, and hiking their best, earlier in the season.

Corporate Sponsors & Local Partners:
FAMB offers the option to be an official sponsor of our Flathead Trail Crew, of which benefits include:

Sponsor logo on back of crew t-shirts as well as on the FTC work truck (as a magnet)
Linked sponsor logo on FAMB website under “Sponsors & Partners" and on FTC webpage
Promotion of sponsorship via FAMB social media & subscriber emails
4 complimentary FAMB memberships

The funds mentioned above enabled our crew to purchase a much needed work truck, tools, equipment, and supplies in order to accomplish the following in 2021:

2022 FAMB Flathead Trail Crew Stats as of 7/5:

Days on Trail: 34
Miles of Trail Maintained: 51.3
Trees Cleared from Obstructing Trail: 186
Cutbacks Made: 93
Dead/Overhanging Trees Felled: 3
Miles of Trail Brush Cut: 6.2
Miles of Drainage Maintained: 43
Feet of Tread Repair: 499
Labor Hours on Trail: 192.9

Looking Ahead to the 2022 Season

FAMB was honored to participate in the 2021 Great Fish Community Challenge which ran 8/05 - 9/17/2021 and we look forward to participating in the 2022 GFCC as well. The great thing about this fundraiser is that gifts up to a total of $20,000 will be matched on a percentage basis, which makes each dollar contributed go the extra mile... literally. The more FAMB raises, the more miles of trail we're able to maintain -- it really is that simple. In 2021, FAMB's GFCC fundraising effort amounted to $29,732.16 in donations with matching funds of $11,200, totaling $40,932.16.

Once again, we are in the process of securing additional fundraising granted through the Great American Outdoors Act in partnership with the Flathead National Forest.

If you/your organization (or one you know of) would like to become an official sponsor of our 2022 Flathead Trail Crew, please contact our Executive Director by emailing director@flatheadamb.org.

Here's a list of priority trails that our Flathead Trail Crew is focused on maintaining.
(Click on each trail for more information)

Tally Lake Ranger District
National Forest Trails:
Boney Gulch Trail #801
Tally-Ashley Trail #800 (Reid Divide, Ashley Mountain, Bill Creek)
Ashley Mountain Trail #310
Stovepipe Canyon Trail #196
Tally Ridge ("Cliff") Trail #458
Tally ("Loop") Lake Overlook #804

Swan Lake Ranger District
National Forest trails:
Beardance Trail #76
Bond Lake Trail #21
Wire Trail #78
Hall Lake Trail #61
Six-Mile Peak Trail #10
Broken Leg #544
Phillips Traill #373
Crane Creek Trail #314
Peterson Creek Trail #293

Glacier View/Hungry Horse Ranger Districts
National Forest trails:
Ralph Thayer Memorial National Recreation Trail (Whitefish Divide Trail #26)
Fawn Creek Trail #309
Back Side of Columbia Mountain #51
Doris Ridge Trail #52
Jimmy Ridge Trail #297
Smoky Range Trail #270
Desert Mountain Trails

Alpine #7 Sections
Glacier View/Hungry Horse and Swan Lake Ranger District
National Forest trails:
Napa to Wire
Wire to Bond
Sixmile to Bond
Strawberry to Peters
Peters to Hemler
Hemler to Doris Creek
Doris Creek to Doris Peak
Doris Peak to Columbia Mountain

Alpine #7 Connectors
Spotted Bear Ranger District trails:
Posey Creek Trail
Quintonkon Trail

State lands trails and county/city parks:
Whitefish Trail
Spencer Trails
Armory Pump Track
Herron Park
Swede Creek Trail (this trail bisects Ralph Thayer/Whitefish Divide Trail #26)

Trails we're trying to get approval to work on:
Kootenai National Forest trails:
Patrick Ridge Trail #860
Laughing Water Trail #98
Ten Lakes Scenic Recreation Area trails, including
Gibraltar Ridge Trail #335, Therriault Pass Trail #87, and Sinclair Creek Trail #88

See something that needs work?
Some examples:
Swampy areas on the trail that could be fixed by drainage work,
trees blocking a trail, or brush encroaching the trail corridor.

Submit a request below and our crew will try to address the issue if we can.

SUBMIT A TRAIL WORK REQUEST