What a beautiful place for a run!

April 2010 The Flathead County Parks Board, with approval of the County Commissioners, notifies FTBT that it will receive $62,500 for land purchase from the county’s Parks in Lieu fund.

February 2010 Thanks to a grant from the Sustainability Fund, FTBT hired its first staff member, Jill Seigmund. Jill works part-time for FTBT as an administrative assistant, bringing  professionalism to the organization.

December 2009 Foy’s to Blacktail Trails Inc. (FTBT) is notified that it will receive a $70,000 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant, administered by the State of Montana. Funds are to be used to help purchase the first 40-acre parcel of the 320-acre Conservation Fund property. Once purchased, FTBT will add it to Herron Park so that the public will enjoy permanent access to this property.

November 2009 Flathead County Commissioners sign agreement to accept The Conservation Fund land and manage it as part of Herron Park if FTBT is successful in its attempt to purchase this property.

October 2009 FTBT’s Trails Committee completes a proposed Master Trails Plan that will integrate existing and proposed trails for The Conservation Fund property and county-owned Herron Park.

June 2009 In partnership with Montana Conservation Corps (MCC), FTBT improved the tread over the length of the Plum Creek Connector, Foy’s Overlook, and Chase Family Forest trails.

Family Fun at the Foy's Overlook

February 2009 The Conservation Fund extends deadline to September 2012 for purchase of the 320-acre parcel, allowing time for FTBT to develop and execute a formal capital campaign.

Summer 2008 Montana Conservation Corps works with FTBT to build the Overlook Trail, allowing users to easily gain access to the top of the ridge overlooking Foy’s Lake and the Flathead and Smith Valleys.

Spring 2008 FTBT Secured a commitment from Flathead County to own any permanent trail easements that can be established on private land in the Foy’s to Blacktail area of interest.

Fall 2007 FTBT arranged for The Conservation Fund to bridge buy the 320-acre parcel above Herron Park to prevent it from being sold and closed to the public. Conservation Fund initially allows 2 years to raise the $2.3 million (including interest and expenses) needed to purchase the property. Though private property, this parcel is used heavily by the public , and is the gateway to forested lands extending south to Blacktail Mountain.

Summer 2007 Secured a permit from Plum Creek Timber and built a “connector trail” from the 320-acre parcel to the Chase Family Forest property; also built trail on the Chase Family Forest property.

Spring 2007 Secured a permanent trail easement from John and Myron Chase on the 160 acre Chase Family Forest property.

2006 John and Myron Chase donate a permanent conservation easement on their 160-acre property to the Montana Land Reliance. Their grandfather homesteaded in this property in 1910.

2005 Foy’s to Blacktail Trails Inc. receives 501(c) (3) non-profit status from the IRS (FTBT had been temporarily operating under the umbrella of the Flathead Land Trust).

2001 Trail enthusiasts begin meeting to discuss ways to protect public access to the lands extending south from Herron Park to Blacktail Mountain. Early name for this group is the Birch Creek Trail Project. Later, they rename the group Foy’s to Blacktail Trails.

1977 Flathead County obtains 120 acres of Iven Herron’s  grazing/timber property for use as a public park. (Part of the land was donated, part purchased).  Later named Iven C. Herron Memorial Park, it is at that time  by far the county’s largest park.

1883 John Moroni Foy enters the Flathead Valley with his wife and eight children via wagon train. The following year he files a homestead on the north end of an unnamed lake west of the settlement of Ashley (now Kalispell). He starts a successful sawmill operation on the lake that soon becomes known as Foy’s Lake.  When the settlement of Demersville springs up, its residents turn to Foy for lumber to construct homes, stores and saloons.