Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund Newsroom

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve today began an approximately $11.8 million project—funded by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund—to repair the Rend Trail and bridges. Partners from Friends of New River Gorge and National Park Foundation joined the National Park Service for a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the start of construction.

Work will begin next week to rehabilitate Finale Detention Dam in south Valley County, Montana, an important project that supports public safety, protects wildlife habitat, and ensures recreation opportunities remain accessible. Funding for this work comes primarily from the Great American Outdoors Act, which invests in deferred maintenance and projects that enhance public access and conserve natural resources across America’s public lands.

Indiana Dunes National Park today celebrated the completion of the Good Fellow Camp Lodge rehabilitation project, part of a $25.4 million effort to rehabilitate historic structures across the park. The Good Fellow Camp Lodge’s reopening, made possible by the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act's Legacy Restoration Fund, marks a significant milestone in maintaining safe, reliable access to park structures.

With funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, Many Farms High School campus modernization is creating safer, more functional spaces that benefit the entire community.

Six years after President Donald J. Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law, the Department of the Interior continues to deliver historic investments in America's public lands through the law's Legacy Restoration Fund. As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary throughout 2026, these investments are restoring historic landmarks, modernizing critical infrastructure and enhancing visitor experiences at the places where America's story is preserved and shared.

Saguaro National Park recently completed restoration work on the Manning Camp Trail, a backcountry route used by hikers, equestrians, park staff and the park’s mule pack string in the Rincon Mountain District. Funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, the project included rebuilding critical foundation and erosion-control features, clearing drainage systems, improving trail tread and removing overgrown vegetation and downed logs.

Thanks to Great American Outdoor Act funding, rural travelers in south Valley County, Montana, can again cross over Pearson’s Coulee when driving on Cactus Flats Road. Great American Outdoor Act funding also provided the means for the BLM to replace three large (48-60 inches in diameter) culverts on nearby Triple Crossing Road that were nearing the end of their service life.

Beginning July 6, 2026, Voyageurs National Park will initiate a major infrastructure project to replace an aging underwater powerline that provides electricity to the historic Kettle Falls area. Funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, this work will improve safety, reliability and visitor experience in one of the park’s most iconic destinations.

Construction is underway at the Wounded Knee District School in Manderson, South Dakota. The Wounded Knee District School Board approved work to replace campus buildings and improve housing facilities, funded by the Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. These projects mark the first major construction investment at the school since its construction in 1961.

The legacy of early European settlers to the John Day Basin is being safeguarded. Supported by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund signed by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, the roofs of the historic Cant barn and shearing shed were restored. The project brought together park staff and a GAOA-funded Maintenance Action Team, including skilled craftspeople from the Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) and Traditional Trades Advancement Program interns. These teams specialize in preserving historic structures, enabling the National Park Service to complete projects in small and medium-sized parks while passing critical trade skills to the next generation.