Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced it is now accepting grant applications for snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, motorized trails and facilities-related projects — to further improve and strengthen the Commonwealth’s $20.4 billion outdoor recreation industry and boost rural economies.
Formerly the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Snowmobile Program, the Motorized Trails and Recreation Program is available for projects supporting ATVing, Snowmobiling, Off-Highway Motorcycling, and Four-Wheel Driving activities. DCNR awards these grants twice a year to municipalities and organizations to develop publicly accessible motorized trails and facilities.
“Motorized recreation continues to fuel growth in outdoor recreation and we are excited to continue to fund these great opportunities,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to investing in motorized recreation to support local businesses and strengthen communities across the Commonwealth. We encourage organizations and municipalities to apply for this funding before the September 30 deadline.”
Funding for grants comes from the ATV and Snowmobile Management Restricted Accounts for projects proposing land acquisition, planning, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, equipment purchase, or educational programs for ATV or snowmobile trails and facilities. Additional funding for grants comes from the federal Pennsylvania Recreational Trails (PRT) Program for development, rehabilitation, maintenance, equipment purchases or educational programs for all motorized trails or facilities.
The fall grant round opened on August 3 and closes on September 30. Grants are open to municipalities, non-profits, and for-profit organizations. Match requirements vary depending on the funding type.
With a few limited exceptions, all snowmobiles and ATVs in Pennsylvania must have a registration issued by DCNR. Statewide, Pennsylvania has nearly 32,000 active snowmobiles and more than 271,000 ATVs. Learn more about Pennsylvania’s snowmobile and ATV riding opportunities.
From day one, the Shapiro Administration has been dedicated to supporting Pennsylvania’s growing outdoor recreation industry and boosting rural economic development. Investments in ATV and snowmobile projects help ensure safe, high-quality trails and facilities that benefit communities across the Commonwealth.
In January, the Shapiro Administration awarded $1.4 million in new investments to four projects that expand and improve access to ATV facilities across Pennsylvania. The Administration has also expanded the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail to nearly 1,000 miles of connected roads and trails across Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, and Tioga counties.
DCNR recently announced the opening of 20 miles of single-track riding opportunities spanning 725 acres at Catawissa Recreation Area in Weiser State Forest. DCNR is managing development of the nearly 6,000-acre recreational area, which will include ATV trails in later phases of the project.
Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation assets are made up of 6,500 local parks — including 125 state parks — more than 14,000 miles of trails, and over 84,000 miles of waterways. Under the Shapiro Administration’s leadership, the outdoor recreation industry has added $3.5 billion and approximately 12,000 new jobs to the Commonwealth’s economy. Recent data shows the industry grew by $1.5 billion in 2024 — reaching $20.4 billion, outpacing the national growth rate, adding 9,000 jobs to support approximately 177,000 jobs total, and generating $9.5 billion in wages across the Commonwealth.
More information about Motorized Trails & Recreation Grants can be found on the DCNR website and check out DCNR’s Calendar of Events for events on public lands.
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