Outdoor enthusiasts who want to explore the county’s network of trails have a new web tool at their disposal. As part of an update of the Flathead County Trails Plan, the People, Athletics, Travel, Health and Safety (PATHS) Advisory Committee worked with the Flathead County Geographic Information Systems Department to develop a new comprehensive and interactive online map of county trails.

The map shows both existing and proposed trails on county, state and federal lands and allows users to search for a trail by using the search function or to select a trail to reveal the trail’s name and its use restrictions. It also includes many of the trails on Glacier National Park’s west side.

The map, however, currently does not show a user the length of the trail or the elevation gain, though if folks want to relay the information to the county, that data can be added, said Ryan Hunter of Flathead Land Trust and a member of the PATHS Advisory Committee.

The trails data has been compiled from many public and private sources and contributors and accommodate many users including hikers, bikers, equestrians, cross country skiers, ATVs, and snowmobilers.

The online trails map can be found on the GIS Department’s webpage http://flathead.mt.gov/gis/ and then by selecting the ‘GIS Applications’ link. The ‘Trails in Flathead Valley’ link is in alphabetical order towards the bottom of the page.