POLSON — If you were among the throngs of people watching Polson’s Fourth of July fireworks display last week, perhaps you noticed something different about the city’s riverfront.  

Sacajawea Park, situated along the mouth of the Flathead River, has just been outfitted with a new paved trail running the length of the park that was completed last month... and if all goes to plan, it might not stop there.

POLSON — If you were among the throngs of people watching Polson’s Fourth of July fireworks display last week, perhaps you noticed something different about the city’s riverfront.  

Sacajawea Park, situated along the mouth of the Flathead River, has just been outfitted with a new paved trail running the length of the park that was completed last month... and if all goes to plan, it might not stop there.

In mid-June, crews finished work on an asphalt public access trail that extends from Salish Point to Glacier Bank on U.S. Highway 93. The path is also flanked by walkways extending up the adjacent hillside to the street.

The cost of the project was $77,000, and if city Parks Superintendent Karen Sargeant’s enthusiasm is any indication, the price tag was well worth it.

Sargeant, who was one of the primary coordinators of the trail’s financing and construction, says that the project helps satisfy her objective of “developing Polson to be the best place it can be for visitors and citizens.”

The Missing Link

The improvement to Sacajawea Park comes on the heels of a similar effort at neighboring Riverside Park, located directly across the highway. With both city parks retooled from a recreational perspective, Sargeant’s natural inclination is to connect the two via a link under the Hwy. 93 bridge that presently divides them.

Merging the Riverside and Sacajawea paths would be consistent with Sargeant’s ultimate goal of “promoting connectivity with other trails.”

Her vision of an integrated trail network along the Flathead is shared by the Tribes and the city, which have expressed a mutual interest in joining the two.

But Sargeant’s eye is not fixed on the riverfront, alone. Eventually, she wants to link the Riverside and Sacajawea corridors with another new trail on the east side of town, near the Lakeview Cemetery.  That would entail having a new trail snake its way along the lakefront and then through town. For now, those plans are still in early theoretical stages.

Sargeant says it’s imperative for local policymakers to ask themselves, “how can I help Polson grow responsibly with good planning?”

She feels that the riverfront overhaul combined with an enhanced system of trails can be a model for smart growth while also being “great for the economic development of the area.”

Completion of the trails opens up the possibility of Polson hosting a triathlon, which will take place Aug. 18 at Riverside Park. Additionally, ongoing installation of a public dock at Sacajawea Park will provide boaters with easy access to downtown businesses, should they want a break from the water.

“The city is trying to respond to (the public’s) needs and wants as best we can,” Sargeant said.