8/24/2023 0 Comments Great american rail trailThe short ride over smooth, new pavement is a gradual uphill climb traveling from west to east. The 40-acre park features a nature sanctuary along the East Gallatin River, including a bird blind, along with fishing ponds, a labyrinth garden, teaching gardens and plenty of areas for children to climb and play. The Gallatin Valley is already a pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly region, and the 2.1-mile Bozeman to Bridger Mountains Trail, which is also part of the Great American Rail-Trail and the local “Main Street to the Mountains” vision, pieces together the section from the popular “College M” parking area to the Story Mill Community Park. RELATED: Five Top Trails That Make the Case for America’s Recreational Trails Programīozeman to Bridger Mountains Trail Montana's Bozeman to Bridger Mountains Trail | Photo by TrailLink user acewickwire Plans are in the works to extend the trail to the Gallatin Valley as part of the developing 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail connecting Washington, D.C., and Washington State. The route passes through grasslands, ponds and mature cottonwood stands that abound with birds and wildlife, eventually entering the state park and paralleling the Jefferson River with views of the Tobacco Root Mountains to the southeast. This area is also one of the campground sites where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped during their epic journey in July 1806 while mapping the Missouri River. Utilizing the former railbed of the Milwaukee Railroad, the asphalt trail passes through the City of Three Forks, named as such because the Jefferson, Gallatin and Madison rivers converge in this location to form the 2,341-mile-long Missouri River. Located in Southwestern Montana, the 11.8-mile Headwaters Trail S ystem connects the Three Forks to the historical and strikingly beautiful Missouri Headwaters State Park. Headwaters Trail System Montana's Headwaters Trail System | Photo by Scott Stark With continual improvements on the trail systems throughout the state every year, here is a handful of our current favorites. And the trails within towns, such as the former Milwaukee Road that is now part of the Riverfront Trail in Missoula, give users opportunities to explore the nuances of neighborhoods and natural areas within these more populated, but rarely crowded, regions. Wide open spaces take you through rolling grasslands and bucolic farmland, and past peaceful waterways within sight of, if not surrounded by, spectacular mountains. With roughly 30 million acres of state and federal lands, choosing the path less traveled is a distinct possibility. Special acknowledgments: Kevin Belanger, RTC manager of trail planning Marianne Fowler, RTC vice president of policy advocacy Bob Walker, Montana Trails Coalition John Juras, Great Falls Bicycle Club Saara Snow, Adventure Cycling Association Montana's Headwaters Trail System | Photo by Scott Stark
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