Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment on a proposal to develop a parking lot at the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area along U.S. 2 in Columbia Falls.

The proposed construction of a gravel parking lot would provide formal public access to the area, the state agency says, and would accommodate up to 12 vehicles. Pending project approval, construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023 with a potential completion date of Sept. 30.

The construction of the lot would have minor to negligible environmental effects on the area, according to the draft Environmental Assessment, which the wildlife agency is required to do under the Montana Environmental Policy Act.

The agency acquired the area in fall of 2021 and has since worked to create a trail system and parking access. However, according to the Environmental Assessment, in lieu of the current formal access point, visitors have been getting to the property from the west side, walking in via River Road after parking along a right-of-way on U.S. 2.

The proposed parking lot development would address the issue and provide easier formal access. The parking area would also be bordered with boulders and would be gated off during winter closures.

The property is open to the public from mid-May at the end of winter wildlife closures to the start of the general hunting season in late October.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks asks that comments be submitted by 5 p.m. on June 27.

Comments can either be sent to Franz Ingelfinger at the agency’s office at 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901 or emailed to [email protected]. Any questions can be directed to Ingelfinger’s email, as listed above, or via phone at 406-751-4580.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at [email protected] or 758-4459.