Central ND News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Northern Region has announced an investment of over $26 million from the Great American Outdoors Act to enhance recreation opportunities for residents and visitors in North Dakota, Northern Idaho, and Montana. Several projects in North Dakota's Dakota Prairie Grasslands will benefit from this funding.

The Civilian Conservation Corps Campground near Theodore Roosevelt National Park will receive funds to expand the main trailhead, create a dedicated equestrian trailhead, improve parking, install a pressurized water system, and upgrade the pavilion and picnic tables to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Additionally, maintenance on the National North Country Scenic Trail will be supported by this investment. The project aims to resurface the trail with specified aggregate, reduce erosion to protect drainage areas, harden the trail surface to align with user expectations, and increase visitation.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), who cosponsored the Great American Outdoors Act, commented on its significance. The comprehensive federal lands package was passed by Congress and signed into law by former President Donald Trump in August 2020. It addresses the maintenance backlog on national parks and public lands managed by various agencies including the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Education, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service.

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