TPW Commission Approves $4 Million In Texas Trail Grants

Tom Harvey, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.texas.gov

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AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved funding Aug. 25 for 37 National Recreational Trail Grant projects across the state totaling $3,930,795.

Recreational trail grants are administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Grant applications are approved based on recommendations from the Texas Trails Advisory Board. Funding for the grants comes from a portion of the federal gasoline tax representing gas purchases for off-road recreational vehicles, such as off-road motorcycles and four-wheelers.

The purpose of the National Recreational Trails Fund is to provide funding for projects that create new and maintain existing motorized and non-motorized recreational trails.

This round of grants includes six motorized trail projects awarded to the cities of Big Spring and Bridgeport and to the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition, Judy Jernigan, Texas Engine-Run Rec. Assn. and the Texas Off-Roaders Association, as detailed below. These grants help fulfill a goal to provide appropriate places for off-road motor vehicle recreation in Texas, an outcome of a state law passed several years ago to ban motor vehicle traffic in riverbeds.

Three grants to the city of Grand Prairie, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Cedar Hill State Park detailed below are all part of the same project, a long-term plan to create a 70-mile trail around Lake Joe Pool in Dallas County.

Grants are listed below by county.

  • Bastrop - Pines & Prairies Land Trust, Colorado River Refuge Trail, $68,420 for a new 0.9-mile trail, improvements to a 0.75 mile trail, parking, and signs
  • Bexar - City of Live Oak, Woodcrest Park Trail Improvements, $66,000 for a two-mile granite and natural surfaced trail in City Park
  • Bexar - Audubon Texas, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, $75,874 for a new 1.88 mile crushed limestone trail, bridges, and restroom
  • Brazoria - City of Freeport, Bryan Beach Trail Improvements, $98,200 for a new 2.9-mile crushed shell trail in city beach park
  • Brewster - City of Alpine, Alpine Creek Hike & Bike Trail, $100,000 for a new 3,500-foot surfaced trail along creek
  • Burnett - Inks Lake State Park, Hike/Bike Trail Improvements, $58,000 for erosion control, signage and restroom
  • Collin - Trinity Trails Preservation Association, Trinity Trails Northern Extension, $78,720 for a new 10-mile equestrian trail, erosion control, and fencing
  • Comal - City of New Braunfels, HEB Park Trail Improvements, $31,325 for a new 0.75-mile crushed granite trail around City Park
  • Dallas - Dallas Ind. School District, Lakewood Outdoor Learning Area, $5,500 for 400-foot accessible extension of an existing trail at the school
  • Dallas - City of Grand Prairie, Joe Pool Lake Trail, $75,000 for a new seven-mile trail, renovate five miles of hike/bike/horse trail
  • Dallas - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joe Pool Lake Trail, $75,000 for a new 10-mile hike/bike/horse trail around lake
  • Dallas - Cedar Hill State Park, Joe Pool Lake Trail, $100,000 for a new 12-mile hike/horse/bike trail around lake
  • Fannin — Lake Fannin Wilderness Park, Inc., Lake Fannin Trail, $4,000 for a new five-mile mountain bike trail around Lake Fannin
  • Galveston - Galveston County, Jack Brooks Park Equestrian Trail., $100,000 for a new 2.2-mile horse trail
  • Harris - Hermann Park Conservancy, enhancements to Bayou Parkland, $39,840 for a new 1,950-foot crushed granite trail, renovation of 950 feet of trail, and to install signs
  • Hays - Hays County W.C.I.D. No. 1, Bear Creek Greenbelt Trail, $100,000 for a new 9,500-foot crushed granite trail along the creek
  • Henderson - East Texas Arboretum, Handicap Trail, $37,140 for a new 700-foot asphalt trail, and restroom
  • Hidalgo - City of San Juan, Explorers Trail, $52,556 for a new 1,700-foot crushed granite trail along the drainage canal
  • Hidalgo — World Birding Center at Estero Llano Grande State Park, birding trail, $100,000 for a new two-mile crushed aggregate trail, signage and benches
  • Hopkins - South Sulphur Reg. Dev. Assn., Lake Trail, $23,659 for a new 1.3-mile nature trail, benches, signs, and parking
  • Howard- City of Big Spring, Moss Creek Lake Trails, $150,000, for 16 miles of new motorized trails at city park, parking, and restroom
  • Lavaca - Mud Buddy-foots, $40,000 for a new trail, parking, erosion control, and picnic tables
  • Lubbock - Texas Tech University, Llano Estacado Wildflower Trail, $76,639 for a new 0.5-mile boardwalk at the Lubbock Lake Landmark
  • Madison - City of Madisonville, Lake Madison Trail, $56,871 for a new 1.9-mile, crushed aggregate trail around the lake in city park
  • Menard - Texas Engine-Run Recreation Association, Hext Unit Trail System, $1,300,000 to acquire 850 acres and create 40 miles of motorized trail
  • Nacogdoches - Stephen F. Austin University, Pineywoods Native Plant Trail, $83,453 for a new 9,000-foot asphalt trail, bridges, and signs
  • Nueces - City of Corpus Christi, West Guth Park Trail, $100,000 for a 4,700-foot concrete trail in City Park
  • Palo Pinto - Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway, $28,000 for erosion control, signage and trailhead improvements
  • Potter - Texas Off-Roaders Association, Canadian River Trailhead, $262,420 for trailhead and restrooms at Canadian River access
  • Randall - City of Amarillo, McDonald Lake Trail, $100,000 for a new 6,500-foot concrete trail around the lake in City Park
  • Starr - Alto Benito Elementary School, Outdoor Classroom, $4,776 for a new 570-foot nature trail, benches, and tables
  • Statewide - Texas Bicycle Coalition, Bike Texas Kids Kup, $10,800 to conduct 19 bicycle safety/skill workshops for kids as part of a statewide mountain bike racing series, with kids to get instruction while parents take part in races
  • Statewide - Texas Bicycle Coalition, Bike Texas Trail Doctors, $99,962 to conduct volunteer training trail construction/maintenance workshops in public parks across Texas
  • Statewide - Texas Motorized Trails Coalition, Texas Trails Ed. & Motorized Management, $36,640 for statewide trail education on creating motorized trails
  • Statewide - Texas Trail Network, Building the Great Texas Trail, $12,000 to conduct trail planning workshops across Texas and host the 2006 state trail conference
  • Williamson - City of Taylor, Bull Branch Hike & Bike Trail, $100,000 for new 4,300-foot crushed granite trail linking existing trails
  • Wise - City of Bridgeport, Northwest Municipal Park, $180,000 for 25 new miles of motorized trails, restroom, signage and equipment