Category Overview
State Parks grants help preserve and develop our state’s best outdoor recreation areas by funding new campgrounds and amenities to increase the capacity of our parks, creating new parks, improving park resources, and protecting historical areas. These grants help our state continue to develop our world-class parks system to share our cultural heritage and natural treasures with all of its visitors.
Project Highlights
The Willapa Hills Trail, located in Southwest Washington, is a 56.5 mile rail trail that runs east to west, beginning in Chehalis and extending to South Bend. Traversing over century-old trestle bridges, through river valleys, thick forests, and rich farmland, the Willapa Hills Trail is currently being improved to provide recreational activities for all visitors. 27 miles between Chehalis and Rock Creek are completed. 6 miles of the Willapa Hills Trail between Raymond and Menlo are currently being improved in addition to bridges 32, 32.1, and 38.5. The purpose of this request is to install 17 miles of compacted gravel in two sections of trail including an 11 mile section of trail from Pluvius at mile 28 to Half Moon Creek Rd at mile 36 and a section of trail from the Willapa River Bridge at mile 37 to the Bullard Road access at mile 46 in Menlo. Compacted gravel will make the trail available for use by hikers, bikers, and equestrians. This project also includes signing for wayfinding, orientation, and interpretation. Interpretive signage will provide education of local history and the natural environment within the sections; such as the rail road history at Pluvius, Wa. As a result of this project, visitors will have the opportunity to access 56.5 miles of improved, continuous trail.