FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Great Western Trail Association, in partnership with Custer Gallatin National Forest, is happy to announce the dedication of a new segment of the Great Western Trail that connects the existing Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho sections with Montana.
When recognized as a National Millennium Trail by the Department of Transportation and the White House Millennium Council, Former Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater stated that “Transportation is about more than concrete, asphalt, and steel, it’s about people. Millennium Trails will connect our nation’s landscape, heritage and culture and symbolize America’s legacy for the new millennium.”
The Great Western Trail provides a fantastic long distance recreation experience, promotes opportunities for economic growth, provides multi-use access to our public lands, and acquaints the user with the culture, history, and traditions of the West.
The Great Western Trail is under study by Congress to become part of the National Trail System. The GWT is a 3,000+-mile corridor of already existing trails, routes and roads, mostly on public lands. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other land management agencies have identified points where these routes naturally link together, forming a corridor of trails that runs from the Mexican border ultimately to the Canadian border. The trail is a predominately multi-use system, allowing both motorized and non-motorized recreation on both shared and separated paralleling routes. (see www.gwt.org).
This dedication commemorates the completion of a new Montana segment that will link with the extensive sections of the Great western Trail that already exist in the states of Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.
This dedication event presents an opportunity to celebrate the partnerships between the users and developers of the trail, the numerous land management agencies, and the surrounding communities. This grass roots effort will insure continued development and maintenance of the Great Western Trail.
Come and join the celebration and the trail dedication to be held on Saturday July 14th at 12:00 noon at the Old Airport in West Yellowstone, Montana. (GPS coordinates: 44.661, – 111.115.) After the dedication ceremony we will be riding along the Montana portion of the Great Western Trail to the Idaho border, approximately 9 miles.
For additional information contact:
The Custer Gallitin National Forest – Hebgen Lake Ranger District at 406-823-6976
The Great Western Trail Association can be reached at info@gwt.org.