Whitefish River Trail Completion

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One of the most important segments — the Riverbend/Miles Avenue Connection — is at a critical stage. The route proposed by the City is the only viable option to connect Kay Beller Park (and points south) to City Beach. We need to stand together to ensure this segment gets built.

STW has spent countless hours educating the community on the importance of this section, attending meetings, and gathering support for the City's work, including over 400 signatures on a petition in support of the 124 permit process and agency approval for the reestablishment of this critical link. The permit was denied in late 2025 — over 40 years after the City obtained the original easement for the benefit of the community. We will continue to work to find a solution to complete this critical connection.

This segment is one of the more comprehensive connections of the River Trail. A primary component to completing this segment will require working with the Montana Department of Transportation to create a safe crossing under or over Hwy. 93. Whitefish has planned for many years for a crossing under the highway with the removal of the river culverts—all to coincide with the rebuild of Highway 93 through downtown. MDT has postponed work indefinitely for this rebuild. As such, Safe Trails Whitefish will work to find alternative (even if temporary) crossings to complete this portion of the trail. 

Also in this segment are five properties that the trail will pass through or along in the areas of Walgreens, Duck Inn, and the old hospital. This segment would connect City Beach and downtown to the north to the existing portions of the trail at the northern end of the River’s Edge Park to the south. A connection to Voerman Road to the east is also planned for the future with a bridge over the river at 13th Street. 

This segment of River Trail would pass through two adjoining properties—to the east of the businesses that currently operate there (Les Schwab and Dalen Dental). While it appears to be a small connection overall, this is a critical connection that will ultimately allow for neighborhoods to the east and south to connect into town via a non-motorized route for safe access to town and beyond. Most immediately, it will conveniently connect these neighborhoods to popular businesses along Hwy 93—such as grocery stores, the climbing gym, restaurants and more—with minimized interactions with motor-vehicle traffic. 

The southernmost terminus of the River Trail is missing a couple of key connections. STW is working to not only complete the trail through the undeveloped city park, River Lakes Park, but also to complete a connection to Hwy. 40 along Kallner Lane where future plans to connect additional routes to Columbia Falls and beyond are planned. Another critical component is to safely connect the River Trail to the River Lakes neighborhood and the North Valley Music School, Smith Sports Complex, and the hospital.

In this area we are also currently working to create a River Lakes area plan, with the undeveloped River Lakes City Park and River Trail as the centerpiece—see “River Lakes Area Plan” to learn more.