Trails across the country will receive funding for infrastructure needs, promotions, interpretation and other needs under the National Park Service's just-announced Connect Trails to Park grants for 2010.

The grant program, established last year to mark the 40th anniversary of the National Trails System, will provide $873,000 for projects, according to a Park Service release.

“The infrastructure improvements these grants provide translate into better experiences for trail and park visitors,” said Park Service Director Jon Jarvis. “It’s a wonderful way to commemorate this anniversary decade of the National Trails System.”

The 17 funded projects restore or improve existing trails and trailhead connections, provide better wayside and interpretive services, encourage innovative educational services, support bridge and trailhead designs, and provide planning services for important trail gateways.

In addition to operating park areas across the United States and its territories, the National Park Service plays a vital role in operation of the 52,000-mile National Trails System. The trails system dates from 1968 legislation that created the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic trails. Today, the National Trails System is comprised of 11 national scenic trails (NSTs), 19 national historic trails (NHTs), and more than 1,050 national recreation trails (NRTs).

Connect Trails to Parks Grants, FY 2010

Rocky Mountain National Park, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

$59,750 to build a new kiosk, pavilion, and entrance sign for the trail at Grand Lake.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Stanwix National Memorial, Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park

$30,485 to construct North Country National Scenic Trail waysides at Grand Marais, Michigan; Rome, New York, and; Dayton, Ohio

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

$35,000 to provide for Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail interpretive programming at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse in Ridgefield, Washington.

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

$45,205 to develop an "Explore the Outdoors, Your Life Depends on It" education program in Great Falls, Montana.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

$55,000 to provide spur trail stone steps at the Lockwood House along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail

$7,700 to transport students to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Fort Circle Parks, Washington, D.C.

$5,000 to publish the Fort Circle Parks trail brochure for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

$65,146 to replace missing trail signs and install new waysides for the Baptism Creek National Recreation Trail at Elverson, Pennsylvania

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

$29,500 for the Unigrid Brochure for the new Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail in Maryland and Virginia

$100,000 for an expanded website for the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail

Nez Perce National Historical Park

$4,500 for volunteer-based interpretation of the Nez Perce National Historical Trail at Spaulding, Idaho

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Saguaro National Park, and Tumacacori National Historical Park

$96,000 to develop a brochure that links the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail to these three sites in Arizona.

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

$36,909 to develop the Twin Arches Connector Trail for the Twin Arches National Recreation Trail

Stones River National Battlefield Park

$12,554 for a Trail of Tears National Historic Trail wayside

Natchez Trace Parkway

$99,984 for "Parks as Classrooms" at the Natchez Trail National Scenic Trail in Mississippi

Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge

$100,000 to complete the compliance work for the Wallkill River Bridge that serves the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in New Jersey

Various national forests

$100,000 to "build and support capacity in the USDA Forest Service for a Trail to Every Classroom" involving the Appalachian National Scenic Trail

The years 2008 to 2018 are "A Decade for the National Trails" in advance of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System. Many projects will help the National Park Service, friends groups and others devoted to trails and their related Federal facilities achieve goals associated with this commemorative decade.