Jocko trails group hopeful despite lack of funds

ARLEE — It’s not yet on the ground, but the trail system formerly known as the Arlee bike path has undergone a transformation in scope and in name.
The newly christened Jocko Valley Trail System will reach beyond the original scope of a simple off-highway walking path, to create a series of interlinking trails in and around the town of Arlee, including the hills and river bottoms of the Jocko Valley.
The change is not as radical as it might seem.
The small group of citizens working on designating the paths originally expected funding through the Highway 93 realignment process that would let them establish an off-highway path for residents to get to and from school and local stores without needing to compete with automobile and truck traffic on the roadway.
That funding was not to be.
Stymied for only a moment, the group decided to go forth with its plans to design and designate an off-road trail system to serve residents of the Jocko Valley.
Many potential paths already exist, it turns out, and may merely need to be mapped. Easements through private properties will need to be addressed, as will establishment of connector links away from heavily trafficked roadways.
But the group is hopeful. In the planning stage is a meeting with a National Parks trails coordinator from Billings, as well as seeking out grants to fund the project.
The group, which meets monthly, is a committee of the Arlee Community Development Corporation.