State managers are proposing to upgrade aspects of Wayfarers State Park in Bigfork, one of the five state parks offering public access to Flathead Lake.
The state’s parks department announced last week that it was accepting public comment on a new list of projects designed to improve visitor services and facilities at the popular site.
A public meeting with information about this project is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. in Bigfork at the Bethany Lutheran Church meeting room located at 8959 Highway 35.
Wayfarers was the fifth most popular state park in the entire state last year, drawing nearly 125,000 visitors. Visitation was up 11 percent from 2012.
The state is proposing several projects that would take place in two phases beginning in the fall. The first phase would include the construction of a ranger station/visitor information center in the Harry Horn Day Use Area. The building would provide a location for staff, storage and a small visitor welcome/information area. The current public restroom, which is more than 30 years old, doesn’t meet disability accessibility standards, would be constructed near the ranger station. The existing maintenance building next to the host site on the west side of the park would also be expanded.
The second phase of the proposed project would be completed in future years, and proposes a new group picnic shelter to be built in the day use area near the lake shore. In conjunction with the new picnic shelter, the current upper day use parking lot will be expanded to accommodate an additional eight to 10 vehicles.
The first phase would cost an estimated $344,000, which would be paid 40 percent from federal funding and 60 percent from state parks’ funding sources.
According to state managers, the improvements would create better access for visitors, address the high demands of growing visitation and benefit safety and information resources.
To view the draft Environmental Assessment and provide comments online, click here and click on “public comments” or send comments by email: [email protected] or mail your comments to: Wayfarers Comments c/o Jerry Sawyer at FWP Region 1 Headquarters, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901.