Funding for the Alaska Long Trail
Since 2020, Alaska Trails and the Alaska Long Trail Coalition have identified and advocated for key Long Trail shovel-ready or planning-ready projects along the length of the trail. Partners and parties consulted included: numerous cities and boroughs; Alaska DNR (Divisions of Parks and Outdoor Recreation; Forestry; and Land, Mining & Water); Alaska DOT; Alaska Department of Fish & Game; US Forest Service (Chugach National Forest); Denali National Park; NPS Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA); Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area (KTMTA); representatives of regional tourism marketing organizations and individual tourism businesses; non-profit regional trails organizations; user groups and individual trail users.
Alaska Trails and partners submitted 14 Alaska Long Trail projects into FY24 state capital budget, totaling $9.5Million. In the process, one of the projects was removed from the list (#1), downsizing the ask to $8.5M. These projects will fill key shovel-ready and planning-ready gaps in the section between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
FY24 Alaska Long Trail projects include:
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Building new non-motorized trails (#4, 11, 14)
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Existing multi-use trail improvements (#6, 8, 9, 13)
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Planning studies to identify links between segments (#7, 10)
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Improving trail access and parking (#4, 5, 7, 8, 14)
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Wayfinding and cultural heritage (#2, 3)
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Separated highway paths for safe non-motorized travel (#12)
("Multi-use” refers to both motorized and non-motorized uses.)
© Bob Wick, BLM
History of State-level Funding Efforts
FY2023
February '22- Alaska Long Trail Coalition submitted 15 Alaska Long Trail projects for consideration in the state capital budget.
May - the bipartisan state legislature passed its FY2023 budget to include all 15 projects we advocated for.
June - Governor Dunleavy approved $4.22M for 7 of those 15 projects!
These approved 7 projects were all in the Anchorage area and provided funding for Chugach State Park, Anchorage Park Foundation and Girdwood Parks and Recreation. See FY2023 state capital budget.
FY2022
February '21- Governor Dunleavy included $13.2M in trail projects for the Alaska Long Trail as part of his proposed General Obligation bond, recognizing the value of this project for Alaska's economy.
June - the Legislature included $13.2M for the Long Trail projects in the capital budget.
July - Governor Dunleavy vetoed the Long Trail projects in the capital budget, along with more than $300M of other capital projects, as part of unresolved statewide budget issues.
Resolutions and Support
Numerous organizations, agencies, local governments, and individuals expressed support for the Alaska Long Trail in the past year. Here is the list of organizations, agencies, and local governments that have sent letters of support, passed resolutions, and provided direct testimony at legislative meetings in support of the Alaska Long Trail thus far.
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Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA)
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Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly
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Denali Borough Assembly
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Mat-Su Borough Assembly
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Anchorage Assembly
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City of Palmer
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City of Seward
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Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB)
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Mat-Su Health Foundation
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Explore Fairbanks
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National Park Service
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Kenai Mountains – Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area (KMTA)
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Girdwood Board of Supervisors
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Latitude 61 Girdwood
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Anchorage Park Foundation
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Alaska Huts Association (AHA)
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Alaska Trails
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Alaska Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
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Interior Trails Quarterly
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Fairbanks Cycle Club
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Nordic Ski Club Fairbanks
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Interior Trails Preservation Coalition
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Skeetawk, Hatcher Alpine Xperience
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Single Track Advocates, Anchorage
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Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
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Roadmap to a Vital and Safe Anchorage
© BLM Craig McCaa
Updated April 17, 2023