Chelan County projects awarded more than $7.6 million in state recreation, conservation grants

CHELAN COUNTY — The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office has awarded more than $7.6 million for projects in Chelan County, part of a statewide package of $67 million in grants to improve outdoor recreation and conserve wildlife habitat.

The funding, announced this week, supports a wide range of projects including trail development, school athletic facilities, farm preservation and improvements at Lake Wenatchee.

“This investment in our communities is critical,” said Megan Duffy, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office. “It provides more spaces for people to enjoy the outdoors and helps protect the natural environments that make our state unique.”

Projects funded in Chelan County

• Bear Mountain Trailhead: Chelan County Natural Resources will receive $380,788 to design and build a trailhead in the Chelan Coulees Preserve, about eight miles west of Chelan. The site will include up to 15 parking spaces, a restroom, a gate and signage, providing new access to 6,300 acres of public land linking Navarre to Knapp Coulees
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• Lake Chelan School District soccer field: The district will use a $1,124,827 grant to build a new sod soccer field with irrigation, lighting and parking improvements at the Mountain Goat Futbol Center. The project expands athletic opportunities for students and the community
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• Leavenworth Winter Sports Club trails: The club was awarded $75,000 to maintain backcountry winter trails at Ski Hill, Icicle River Trails, the Leavenworth Golf Course and the Peshastin Mill Site. Crews will perform deferred maintenance and ongoing grooming for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and fat-tire biking
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• Entiat and Chelan recreation sites: The U.S. Forest Service will receive $175,000 to maintain 13 campgrounds, two cabins, three group sites and about 100 dispersed sites, along with lookout towers. Work includes trash removal, restroom cleaning, water testing and facility repairs
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• Wilderness and front-country trails: Another $200,000 will fund trail crews in the Wenatchee River Ranger District to maintain portions of more than 500 miles of multiuse trails. Crews will clear downed trees, repair bridges and address wildfire debris
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• Hinterlands Farms conservation: The State Conservation Commission was awarded $4,215,000 to purchase a conservation easement on 336 acres of orchard and shrub-steppe habitat near Manson. The land has produced fruit for decades and also supports wetlands and wildlife habitat
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• Recreation facility maintenance: The Department of Natural Resources will use $150,000 to maintain campgrounds in Chelan, Grant and Kittitas counties, including 21 toilets, 187 campsites and six day-use areas
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• Lake Wenatchee boat launch: State Parks secured $1,366,000 to improve the only formal public boat launch on the lake. Plans call for new boarding floats, paved overflow parking and a pedestrian path linking the launch to restrooms
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• Lake Wenatchee snow trails: Another $75,000 will fund plowing and grooming of four Sno-Parks and up to 377 miles of winter trails in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
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“All of these projects help keep Washington a place where people want to live, tourists want to visit and businesses want to locate,” Duffy said. “And the money they spend recreating supports Washington’s economy and provides jobs.”

The Recreation and Conservation Office said grants were awarded through a competitive process to ensure the most impactful projects receive funding.