The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) continues to present its 2018 Discovery Walks, a trail exploration series, throughout May and June. Join GVLT volunteers to walk, talk, and explore on the trails while meeting locals and learning something new along the way. These one-hour, guided, educational walks are totally FREE and open to the public. Volunteers and local experts will be hosting short talks and activities during the walks. Here’s a look at some of the upcoming outings.
Walk with a Doc is next up on Wednesday, May 16th. Join a Bozeman Health provider to learn about health topics while you walk at your own pace. This walk meets at the base of Peets Hill (at the bridge near the parking lot off Church Ave.) at 5:30pm.
Relax with a Walking Meditation on Sunday, May 20th. With the guidance of Jessica Cartwright, get in touch with your breath and nature, leave feeling refreshed with this walking meditation. This walk meets at the Cherry River Trail (off of Frontage Rd. by the parking lot) at 10am.
A Summer Survival Kids Walk follows on Monday, May 21st. Prepare for a great adventure with Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS) by learning compass basics, survival necessities, and preparation skills to stay safe and have fun all summer long! This walk meets at East Gallatin Recreation Area (at the climbing boulder near the dock and pavilions off Manley Rd.) at 9:30am.
A Family Adventure Walk with Montana Mountain Mamas is set for Tuesday, May 22nd. Want your kids to share your love for the trail? There is nothing more fun than hiking with other families! Join for an all ages, all abilities exploration of the Chestnut Mountain Trail just outside of Bozeman. This walk meets at the trailhead off Trail Creek Rd. at 4pm.
The Wednesday, May 23rd walk, How Are Trails Created?, will answer that very question! Have you ever wondered how trails are made? How are they designed? Who decides where they go? And who pays for them? Matt Marcinek, GVLT Trails Program Manager, will give you a behind the scenes look at the process, start to finish. Ask questions of a trails expert! This walk meets at the base of Peets Hill (at the bridge near the parking lot off Church Ave.) at 5:30pm.
On Thursday, May 24th, Roots Family Collaborative presents Walk with Baby. Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers! Join to explore the trails around Bozeman, feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back or let your toddler stop to smell the flowers – turn around whenever you like. This walk meets at Sourdough Trail (trailhead at Tuckerman Park off Goldenstein Rd.) at 9am. An additional Walk with Baby is set for the following week, Thursday, May 31st. This walk meets at Gallatin County Regional Park (at the Dinosaur Playground, parking lot off Davis St.) at 9am.
MOSS presents a Sensational Senses Kids Walk on Friday, May 25th. Notice anything funny about this trail? Put your senses to the test on an unnatural trail, enjoy a familiar place from a new perspective, and discover where to search for unique and exciting treasures! This walk meets at Bozeman Pond Park (at the natural playground near the new north parking lot off Fowler Ave.) at 9:30am.
MOSS is back with a Hiking Basics Kids Walk on Monday, May 28th. Join to become familiar with trail etiquette, hike planning, fun tips and tricks for the trail, and other essentials for getting started as a hiker! This walk meets at Drinking Horse Trail (at the trailhead near the parking lot off Bridger Dr.) at 9:30am.
The Trust for Public Land presents a Wetlands Restoration Walk on Thursday, May 31st. Learn about clean water at Story Mill Park and end the walk at Bozeman Brewing Company to learn about beer and water. This walk meets at Story Mill Community Park (at the Story Mill Spur trailhead at Story Mill Rd., across from the old mill buildings) at 5:30pm.
Kids Birding with MOSS kicks off a new month on Friday, June 1st. Grab some binoculars to discover the amazing birds in your own backyard! Do you notice how different their feet are? Why are their feathers shaped that way? Let’s find out! This walk meets at the Cherry River Trail (off of Frontage Rd. by the parking lot) at 9:30am.
Finally, a Wildflower Walk will take place Saturday, June 2nd. Explore the variety of blooming wildflowers with local wildflower enthusiast and expert, Carolyn Hopper. Can you name them all? This walk meets at Drinking Horse Trail (at the trailhead near the parking lot off Bridger Dr.) at 9:30am.
Discovery Walks do not require an RSVP, but please arrive a few minutes early to join the groups. Dogs are not allowed on walks for safety reasons. A full schedule may be found at www.gvlt.org/events/discovery-walks. Meeting locations and complete descriptions are also located on the website.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 2nd. Every year, hundreds of community members join GVLT for a morning of hard work to maintain or build our community trails. The event also marks the start of the Summer Trails Challenge, running through June 22nd. Every mile logged gives $1 to GVLT’s Community Match Pool. See GVLT’s website for more details about National Trails Day and the Summer Trails Challenge.
Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, as well as the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers. For more information about GVLT and these walks, visit the aforementioned website.
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