Foy’s to Blacktail Trails purchased another 50 acres of land to donate to Flathead County-owned Herron Park.

Since 2010, the grass-roots organization has purchased 150 acres of forest land adjacent to Herron Park and has added 100 acres to the park.

The 50-acre purchase completes Phase 3 of the six-phase purchase of 320 critical acres.

This acquisition was made possible by grants to Foy’s to Blacktail Trails and The Flathead Land Trust from Montana State Parks Recreational Trails Program; a grant from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust; Flathead County Parks Cash-in-Lieu fund; and donations from hundreds of individuals, local businesses, and foundations.

Less than five miles west of Kalispell, Herron Park is the gateway to thousands of acres of forest land extending south to Blacktail Mountain above Lakeside.

In 2007, 320 acres of forest land adjacent to the park was at risk of sale and development, so Foy’s to Blacktail Trails arranged for The Conservation Fund to bridge-buy the property while the trail group raises the money to purchase the land and permanently protect access by adding it to Herron Park.

Because of its close proximity to Kalispell and nearby communities, the land has been popular with hikers, equestrians and cyclists for decades.

“The purchase of Phase 3 is a milestone for our organization” said Clifford Kipp, president of the Foy’s to Blacktail Trails Board of Directors. “This 50-acre tract abuts Plum Creek Timber Company property and we can now begin to seriously contemplate a designated route southward through Plum Creek and Stoltze timber land to the U.S. Forest Service lands at Blacktail Mountain.”

Foy’s to Blacktail Trails has raised and spent more than $1 million on land purchase to date, and must still raise an additional $1.1 million to buy the remaining 170 acres of The Conservation Fund land.