Area residents and visitors have an opportunity to more thoroughly follow the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as the Lewis and Clark Legacy Trails once again grew near Williston this summer.

Over two miles of paved asphalt biking/walking/jogging trail is in place after work recently finished along the Little Muddy River east and north of Williston.

The Lewis and Clark Legacy Trails are a network of walking, running and biking trails along the Missouri River. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., created the trails in an effort to boost tourism in North Dakota and recognize the state’s role in Lewis and Clark’s exploration to open the American West.

The city of Williston received about $570,000 in federal funding for this year's work that ultimately cost about $593,000.

"The city had to come up with about $20,000," said city director of Public Works/Engineering Monte Meiers. He said the city commission supports the concept of the trails and the system around Williston, which actually began several years ago to reach Spring Lake Park and its keel boat.

This summer, about a half mile of trail was constructed to connect the east side of the Little Muddy River to a landing near the Williston Industrial Park adjacent to Williams County Road 9. By starting at the Little Muddy River landing, a person can now go on the trail to north of Williston.

"Then we did a stretch from 26th Street up to 42nd and then up to the White Bridge. That is about two miles," Meiers said of work on the west side of the Little Muddy River.

The work done on the north side of Williston created a paved asphalt path on the west side of Williams County Road 7 through the existing residential area. It then continues north in the Little Muddy River valley on the west side of the river.

A fence also is in place on this more rural section of the trail to keep motorized vehicles off of the paved surface.

The Legacy Trail components tie in with the city's bike leisure trail master plan along the Little Muddy, he said. There remains about a half mile of trail along 26th Street near the airport that is still left to build as part of the master plan, Meiers said. If funding is provided, that work could possibly be done in 2011, he said.

With the completion of this year's work, there is now upward of 10 miles of paved trails in the city, Meiers said.