Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D) and Cory Gardner (R) today announced that the Town of Estes Park will receive $400,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to develop a 1.1-mile trail from Rocky Mountain National Park to the Mountain Meadows subdivision.

“With the financial backing of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Fall River Trail is closer to becoming a reality,” said Bennet. “Coloradans and visitors from all over the world will be able to more easily access Estes Park from Rocky Mountain National Park as a result of the community’s hard work on this trail project.”

“This grant funding is important for Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, and I’m thrilled to announce it with Senator Bennet,” said Gardner. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is one of the most effective tools preserving Colorado’s beautiful public lands, and this trail project is just another example of LWCF funding benefiting Colorado.”

“We are thrilled to receive a LWCF grant for another phase of the Fall River Trail project, a connection between Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park,” said Estes Park Mayor Todd Jirsa. “This critical piece of funding will help make this trail project a reality for our residents and guests. We appreciate our delegation's help in funding progress on fulfilling a long-awaited community need.”

Separate from National Park Service operational appropriations, LWCF grants are sourced largely from off-shore oil lease revenue through annual congressional appropriations, and have provided more than 40,000 grants to states and local communities since 1965.