Anaconda Trail Society proposes 3.5-mile foundational trail on ANC Hill; commission to review MOU

Emily Adams, president of the Anaconda Trail Society, told the Anaconda Deer Lodge County Commission she and her group have drafted an MOU with the county to build a “foundational” multi-use, non-motorized single-track trail on ANC Hill.

The proposal calls for a roughly 3.5-mile trail intended for hikers, walkers, runners and bicyclists, with potential equestrian use noted as a possibility. Matt Johnson, who assisted in the presentation, said the intent is to keep the trail grade low — “an average grade around 5 to 6% and not really ever surpassing that 12% mark,” — with a final alignment developed by a professional trail builder.

The trail would link several existing access points — Sunnyside, behind Mitchell Stadium, 7th & Walnut, Sheep Gulch and Birch — to allow neighborhood access without significant new parking. Adams said ATS would lead project delivery and maintenance, pursue grant funding (including the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recreational trails grant and potential Natural Resource Damage Program funds) and could request a county match depending on grant requirements.

Why it matters: Adams cited strong local interest — an open lands plan survey and ATS’s own questionnaire — and argued that a downtown trail network would provide recreation, economic benefit and public-health value. “In the ATS survey … the number one answer hands down of what Anaconda residents want is trails,” Adams said. She also referenced a recent news article and local suicide statistics as part of the group’s motivation for expanded outdoor access.

Commissioners pressed the presenters on several practical issues. One commissioner warned that allowing horses on an in-town, single-track route could create conflicts with bicyclists and residential parking constraints; the commissioner said, “Bicycles, horses, dogs … I haven’t seen anybody jump off a horse with a bag and a shovel and scoop it up,” arguing that equestrian use may be better served in rural corridors. Adams acknowledged the concern and said the group could survey the community on desired uses.

Several commissioners also raised grant-eligibility questions tied to accessibility. A commissioner noted that a 12% grade is not ADA-accessible and warned that some federal grants will require ADA compliance; Adams and Johnson confirmed the conceptual single-track trail would not be designed for wheelchair access in its proposed form and that the group has built other, more accessible paths in the past.

Next steps: After discussion, the commission voted to place the draft MOU and related materials on next week’s agenda for further review and potential formal action. No formal funding commitment or final approvals were made at this meeting.