In real estate, we often comment on the outstanding views and unparalleled landscape that can be enjoyed from porches, decks, and walls of windows.  But what about actually getting out into nature to enjoy the fresh air and the views looking back toward town?  Southwest Montana is most certainly the place to be when “getting away from it all” is on your mind.  This could be why Backpacker magazine rated Bozeman #18 in “The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid,” and Outside magazine placed it near the top of “Best Towns 2013.”

For a glimpse at the depth of our area’s hiking potential, Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana by Robert Stone contains recommendations for 110-day hikes in and around Bozeman that can appeal to hikers of all skill levels. 110!  There are other publications that highlight Greater Yellowstone, Gallatin Canyon, and most likely any local area you can imagine.  Outside Bozeman’s online site includes highlights and maps of many of the area’s more popular jaunts including the “M”, Bozeman Creek Trail, Pine Creek Lake Trail in Paradise Valley, and Lava Lake Trail in the Gallatin Canyon.  AllTrails.com by National Geographic is another good website for finding a new place to explore.  And while on these hikes, a great resource to keep in your backpack would be Whitney Tilt’s Flora of Montana’s Gallatin Region book to identify all of the foliage you will be seeing.  If you are more into technology than books, www.highcountryapps.com can be the key to identifying the outdoors from your smartphone on the go with specific field guide apps.

One indication of the level of local support for parks and trails is the fact that in November of 2012 over 73% of voters agreed to pass a 20-year/ $15 million dollar bond to be used for “parks, trails, natural areas, stream corridors, and athletic fields.”  Very recently, the City of Bozeman allocated $600,000 for the purchase of 9 acres north of the Bozeman Pond to expand the facility.  The land was purchased from Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), which sold an additional 3 acres to HAVEN, a non-profit that assists victims of domestic abuse, to build a new, safe, shelter facility.  An additional $445,000 was approved for the cost to add trails, enhance streams, build a picnic area and a playground, as well as provide a fenced area for dogs to recreate.  These funds can often be leveraged with government dollars to make a bigger impact.

There are four additional projects that are anticipating funds from the Trails, Open Space and Parks bond: the creation of a 2.1-mile bike/pedestrian path leading to the trailheads of both the “M” and Drinking Horse from Bozeman’s core, improvement of Bozeman Creek through Bogert Park, the transformation of the Story Mill site into a park, and construction of a sports complex.  The sports complex project has been approved at $7.5 million for construction on 80 acres at the corner of Baxter Lane and Flanders Mill Road.  The venture includes 11 fields to be primarily used for youth soccer and lacrosse, though rugby, football, and other sports will also use the space.

Main Street to the Mountains is a phrase often coined around here and is attributed to the vision of the founder of GVLT, Chris Boyd.  The City of Bozeman and Bozeman Noon Rotary Club are credited with founding the trails in 1978 and gradually building up a few miles of groomed trails with mostly donations and volunteer help.  The trail system has grown to over 67 miles of connecting neighborhoods to nature.  GVLT has produced an informative map of these trails which is sold at businesses throughout Bozeman, including our ERA Visitor’s Center located at 8 East Main, for only $2.  The individual projects that contribute to this system are diverse in size and scope and would take an article by itself to properly cover.  In June 2013 GVLT, along with almost 200 community members, built the five-plus miles of running, walking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails that now exist on Bozeman Deaconess Health Services’ undeveloped property.   

100 Acre Regional Park, which was purchased in 2002 with $2.3 million from the Open Space Bond and was later developed, is yet another example of Bozeman’s vow to keep our community outdoors-friendly.  Flanking the Baxter Meadows West subdivision, the well-publicized Dinosaur Park is surrounded by walking and jogging trails, two stocked lakes, and many more recreational attractions in the works.  The Open Space Bond was passed in 2000 at $10 million with the mission of “managing growth, preserving ranches and farms, protecting wildlife habitat and water quality of streams and rivers, providing parks and recreation areas.”

All of this commitment to retaining quality, safe places to hike and bike and recreate is just another reason the quality of life in Bozeman remains high for those who choose to make this area home.

Let’s take a look at a few favorite hikes with universal access. The Langohr Loop Accessible Trail is a wheelchair-accessible trail at the north end of the Langohr Campground on the banks of Hyalite Creek. The forested loop trail includes meadows with a gorgeous display of wildflowers, rock formations, several fishing accesses, and sitting benches.  A little further up Hyalite Road is Palisade Falls Trail, which offers easy-grade, wide trails for summer through fall access and stunning waterfall viewing.  And if you are near Big Sky, check out Ousel Falls Trail with a gently pitched and well-maintained path.  Visitors and locals alike enjoy the stunning, 40-foot falls only 0.8 miles from the trailhead.

In celebration of the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day on June 7, consider joining GVLT on a volunteer work crew.  Meet at Lindley Park at 9:00 am and help with the new Highland Glen Nature Preserve and family-friendly trail resurfacing in Lindley Park.  Bring a jacket, gloves, hat, and sturdy shoes as well as a shovel, rake, or wheelbarrow.  Or you might consider making a donation of cash or time to your favorite open space organization.  And lastly, commit or recommit to take advantage of a trail for yourself…get out and enjoy a walk or a hike on one of our many offerings.