• Alaska has programs for the development of trailsHiking trail at Burgess Falls State Park 20080426-1170970 image by SIGNSofMIND from Fotolia.com
  
  The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has developed grant programs for the development, maintenance and restoration of recreational and snowmobile trails in the state.
  
  The competitive grants are set up to reimburse or match investments in trails and develop and improve transportation and tourism within the state. The heavily forested nature of the state and the heavy snow in the winter make the trails an essential part of the Alaskan infrastructure.
  
  

Recreational Trails Program

• The Recreational Trails Program supports hiking and other activitieshiking image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com
  
  The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR), under the Alaska DNR, runs the Recreational Trails program to develop and maintain leisure trails in the state.
  
  The Recreational Trails program uses an 80-to-20 federal matching funds formula. Funding comes from fuel taxes distributed by the US Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration. No more than 5 percent of funds are allocated to environmental protection. Thirty percent of recreational trail funds are allocated to motorized trails, 30 percent to non-motorized trails and an additional 40 percent to multiple-use projects.
  
  Funding up to $50,000 dollars can be used per project, as of June 2010. Projects are competitive and overseen by the Outdoor Recreation Trail Advisory Board (ORTAB)
  
  Program funds are only made available to local government entities or non-profit groups. Individuals and businesses are not eligible to receive grants. Funded trails must be made available for use by the general public.
  
  

Snowmobile Trails Program

• Snowmobile trails improve transportation during winter monthssnowmobile trail -3 image by Rog999 from Fotolia.com
  
  The heavy snows and harsh winters make snowmobiles and essential part of life for rural Alaskans. The development of snowmobile trails serves regular transportation uses as well as recreational snowmobiling. DPOR oversees the Snowmobile Trails Program that maintains, rehabilitates and develops snowmobile trails in the state.
  
  Funding for the Alaska Snowmobiling Trails Program comes out of state snowmobile registration fees. Grants are available to all organizations, snowmobiling clubs, private business and public agencies. Grants are competitive and overseen by the Snowmobile Trail Advisory Council (SnowTRAC).
  
  The Snowmobile Trails Program also includes the Grooming Pool. This funds marking, grooming and signing recreational snowmobile trails. Only legal trails are eligible for grooming funding.
  
  

Alaska Trails Initiative

• The Alaska Trails Initiative is a program developed by former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. The program bring together the US Department of Transportation, USDA Forest Service, the National Parks Service and nonprofit Alaska Trails, Inc. to develop new trails in Alaska.
  
  Trails can be for recreational or snowmobiling use. Grants are overseen by the Outdoor Recreational Trail Advisory Board (ORTAB) and rated based on the local need for trails, environmental impact and approval of all necessary federal agencies.