As you may know, grooming and maintenance of the Silver Crest Trails is accomplished through a combination of donated funds from our trail users & supporters, and from a recreational trails grant administered through the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Each year we reapply for the grant, and a critical part of the application (and receiving funding) is providing letters of support from our trail users.
Please, if you can take a few minutes, send us your letter of support. It need not be long or wordy – just a short paragraph will do. Let us & the Recreational Trails Grant committee know just how the Silver Crest Trails are important to you, and why we need to keep them funded.
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You may send your letter either by postal mail or email to:
Silver Crest Trails Association – 665 Wilson Butte Road, Great Falls, MT 59405 silvercresttrails@gmail.com
Please send your letter by Feb 21, 2014.
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Ideas for content that might apply to you:
You are a…
- skate skier or classic skier who finds this to be the closest groomed Nordic skiing to Great Falls or White Sulphur Springs.
- snowshoe enthusiast who enjoys the signed, marked, scenic trails.
- family who enjoys bringing kids to Silver Crest to teach them how to xc ski, snowshoe and generally enjoy the winter outdoors.
- new trail user this year.
- tried-and-true trail user for many years.
- Snow Fest or Winter Trails Day attendee who had an enjoyable experience.
- Nordic skier or snowshoer who enjoys recreating at Silver Crest while other members of the family downhill ski at Showdown or snowmobile on the area trails.
- Winter recreationalist who enjoys the fact that so many opportunities exist at Kings Hill: Silver Crest Trails, Kings Hill Cabin, Showdown Ski Area, 200+ miles of groomed snowmobile trails, other nearby xc ski, snowshoe, and backcountry ski opportunities, all along a scenic byway.
- Resident of another town, state or country who enjoys stopping at Silver Crest to recreate.
- … or any other aspects of the Silver Crest Trails that are important to you.
Thank you for your support! See you on the trails.
Silver Crest Trails Association 
I have used the Silver Crest cross country ski area for many years and am always thankful to have this great facility available. It contributes immeasurably to the quality of life in the Great Falls area to be able to be able to access backcountry, downhill and cross country trails within an hours drive from my home. Silver Crest is a real gem and deserves supportive funding.
Thank you, Jim!
Dear Silvercrest Trails Association,
Due to your efforts to maintain and improve the trails at Silver Crest in the last year, I have seen a remarkable transformation in my overall health and well being. My cardiovascular health and toning of badly needed muscle groups was partially a result of having such wonderful trails to ski on each winter weekend with friends and family.
Each year I attend the Snow Fest and Winter Trails events which are such great opportunities for fellowship with other outdoors enthusiasts. The vendors and volunteers at these events are always such a strong draw due to their smiles and polite conversation. The food is delicious and the bonus of having a door prize drawing is icing on the cake. Seeing so many organizations unified at such events to encourage the respectful use of our forests is to be applauded.
Many thanks to the volunteers who give up their own time to travel the courses and keep them in tip top condition for both skiers and skaters alike. On many weekends I have skied over twelve miles of trails and never get tired of the experiences I have while on them. Being from Great Falls, it is a delight knowing that such a well groomed facility is within an hours drive.
I will continue to support this organization’s efforts to maintain and improve the skiing experience of health minded residents of this region.
Sincerely,
Kevin Udovich
Allow dogs. Your support will triple. This isn’t a golf course.
Thanks for your input, P.J. We understand that it is fun to ski with your dog(s). The reason dogs are not allowed on the Silver Crest Ski Trails is that it is a groomed trail system, groomed by volunteers for both classic and skate skiing — the only groomed nordic ski trail within an hour of Great Falls. Skate skiing on a trail with divots made by dogs can be treacherous, as it is easy to catch a tip in a pothole. If Silver Crest is able to expand its trail system in the future, perhaps there will be enough distance to add dog-friendly trails. For the time being, there are opportunities to xc ski with dogs on the Jefferson Creek trail, and many other forest roads and trails in the Little Belts.