Rattlesnake Reservoir Park Received Grant Funding
The 45-acre Missoula preserve completed a project featuring new parking and trail upgrades.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in National Parks
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Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks awarded a $100,000 grant to improve the Rattlesnake Reservoir Park Preserve. The site, formerly an industrial water utility, used the funds to install 16 parking spaces and a new loop trail.
Why it matters
The infrastructure upgrades address critical safety and environmental issues at the park. Previous access points obstructed emergency vehicle turnarounds, and informal parking areas were damaging local vegetation.
The park improvements included the construction of 16 parking spaces, two of which are van-accessible ADA spots. Additionally, the project established over 1 mile of new loop trail on the 45-acre site.
The players
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
This is a state government agency responsible for managing the state's outdoor recreational resources and wildlife conservation efforts.
City of Missoula Parks and Recreation Department
This local municipal agency oversees the maintenance and development of public lands and community recreation spaces in Missoula.
The details
The Missoula Parks and Recreation Department applied for the recreational trail program grant in 2024 to manage visitor flow and land preservation. Construction focused on creating a formal trailhead to replace outdated access points that posed safety risks to local emergency services.
Timeline
The City of Missoula acquired the 45-acre preserve in 2017.
The City of Missoula applied for the grant in 2024.
The Breakdown
This project follows the pattern set by the Montana recreational trail program, which facilitates the conversion of former utility sites into usable public land. The development aligns with broader trends of repurposing municipal industrial sites to expand regional recreational capacity.
Visitors to the preserve can now utilize 16 designated parking spaces, ensuring more reliable access than the previous informal parking areas. The new loop trail offers over 1 mile of maintained hiking path for those planning outings to the site.
The takeaway
The transformation of this former industrial utility site highlights how targeted funding can balance public recreational access with environmental protection. Residents should utilize the new designated trailhead to help prevent further damage to vegetation in the preserve.
Further reading
For more information on similar projects, visit National Parks.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 96.3 The Blaze.
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