Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
Yellowstone National Park will receive over $5 million for several infrastructure projects around the park.
The money comes as part of the 2017 Centennial Challenge, sponsored through the National Park Service, where federal dollars are matched (or exceeded) by donations and grants from partner organizations.
In this case, Yellowstone Forever matched (or exceeded) donations for a pair of pressing projects around the park. A breakdown is below (including amounts) are below.
| Project | Federal Dollars | Yellowstone Forever Dollars |
| Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Trails, Retaining Walls and Overlooks | $2,416,320 | $2,416,320 |
| Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Stephens Creek Bison Capture Facility | $150,342 | $154,669 |
In total, Yellowstone received $5,137,651 through the Centennial Challenge. You can see the full list of parks, projects and money raised here.
The money comes as Yellowstone presses forward on several substantial upgrades. Indeed, since summer 2016, crews have been working to rehabilitate overlooks and trails around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Many major trails and overlooks along the canyon, including Inspiration Point and the South Rim Trail, are closed indefinitely.
Major changes are in the works for Stephens Creek as well, as Yellowstone officials are hoping to create quarantine space for bison. While it is not known whether the above funds will go toward the quarantine proposal, Yellowstone has been working with USDA and Montana Department of Livestock officials to craft a plan compliant with state and federal policies.
