State and federal funds will be used to purchase $1.9 million worth of land to connect four parks on the northwestern side of Frederick County.

A $950,000 grant to the Maryland Department of the Environment through a program run by the National Park Service was announced Wednesday by the offices of Maryland U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D) and Benjamin Cardin (D).

The federal money will be combined with $1 million in state funds to create a more than 10-mile corridor of hiking, biking and fishing areas to connect about 21,000 acres in Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls State Park, Frederick Municipal Forest and Gambrill State Park.

The string of parks runs from near Thurmont to north of Middletown.

The money comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a National Park Service program that makes about $40 million available for such grants, said Susan Sullam, a spokeswoman for Cardin.

Mikulski’s office couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.

The grant is part of a Maryland Department of Natural Resources plan to acquire more than 382 acres to expand the recreational opportunities in parks, according to a news release from Cardin’s office.

The DNR is still reviewing its options, and it’s too early to talk about the project, departmental spokesman Josh Davidsburg said.

rmarshall@gazette.net