Missoula County Awarded $800,000 Federal Grant to Transform Base Area of Marshall Mountain Park

Missoula County recently received a 2026 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant award totaling $838,722.89 for infrastructure improvements at Marshall Mountain Park. The LWCF Program is a federal grant program administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

 

The grant rounds out the remaining funds needed for the Marshall Mountain Park Base Area Redevelopment project, which focuses on improvements to the base area that will enhance the visitor experience, public safety and park accessibility.    

 

The project scope covers essential improvements outlined in the Marshall Mountain Park Conceptual Master Plan, adopted in 2023. Improvements include providing drinking water and shade, constructing a main trailhead and completing early phase trails, improving site accessibility for all abilities, addressing the poor condition of ski hill era infrastructure and repurposing elements where feasible, renovating the outdoor event and community space, and upgrading utilities and maintenance facilities to support park operations. Construction and renovations are anticipated to start in 2027 while Missoula County staff and partners use this calendar year to focus on remaining design and engineering.

 

“These funds are pivotal for the next phase of the park," said Missoula County Lands, Culture and Recreation Director Randy Arnold. “Once the renovations are completed, kids sports programs will recharge at the shade shelter before migrating up the mountain; families will picnic at the base area with access to drinking water; new visitors will leave with a better understanding of the cherished community history of the Marshall Mountain Ski Area; and winter recreators will be protected from the elements with improved shelter and restroom facilities.” 

LWCF requires a 50% non-federal match. Friends of Marshall Mountain, a nonprofit that supports the park, has raised more than half of the local match needed for this project through a network of community and private donors. The Missoula Mountain Bike Coalition will put a  $40,000 Montana Trail Stewardship grant it secured in 2025 toward the project and will also provide in-kind staff and volunteer contributions. The remaining required match will come from the voter-approved Missoula County Trails Bond and City-County Open Space Bond.   

 

“Marshall Mountain offers a mountain adventure right in our own community – cutting down travel barriers and costs, providing a site for much needed childcare for Missoula County families, and keeping recreation dollars local,” said Friends of Marshall Mountain co-chair Jeff Crouch. “The Base Area Redevelopment project meets the momentum of expanding education and stewardship programs, growing interest in adaptive recreation opportunities, and the revival of intensive, year-round community use.”

 

Other project partners and supporters include Friends of Missoula Parks, Missoula Parks & Recreation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Izzy Dog LLC, Five Valleys Land Trust, The Conservation Fund, Run Wild Missoula, Missoula Adaptive Recreation and Sports and many more individual donors and organizations.

 

Marshall Mountain Park is a 480-acre adventure park located between East Missoula and Bonner. Following years of public input and planning, significant partner support and the use of voter-approved City and County open space bond funds, the City of Missoula and Missoula County collaborated to ensure this historic recreation area will forever remain open to public use. Missoula County owns and manages the park after acquiring it in 2024. It is open year-round, sunrise to sunset and is a popular destination for skiers, mountain bikers, hikers, and runners.

Friends of Marshall Mountain (FOMM) was formed in 2022 to assist the City of Missoula and Missoula County in securing three parcels at Marshall Mountain to create a 480-acre public park for all. FOMM is sponsored by Friends of Missoula Parks, a 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2002 by Missoula residents to promote parks, recreation, conservation lands, and forestry in the community of Missoula and the surrounding area. For more information visit www.fmparks.org/projects/marshall-mountain or write to PO Box 7051, Missoula, MT 59807.