Closing the Gap: Groundbreaking on the Painted Hills Gap Trail
Trail users familiar with this “PUBLIC TRAIL ENDS HERE. PRIVATE PROPERTY” sign at the dead end of the Painted Hills Trail will be delighted to know that on Monday GVLT began construction on the infamous Painted Hills Gap Trail, the last remaining connection going south from Main Street to the Mountains. The connector trail has been a high priority project for GVLT, and the community, for more than 20 years. Securing trail easements across this section was no easy feat. It took years and years of focused persistent efforts and collaboration with landowners. When completed, the connector trail will cross multiple properties including privately owned land, land under conservation easement with GVLT, and State of Montana DNRC land. This trail connector would not have been possible without the generous support of the private landowners, Gallatin County Commission, State of Montana, Triple Tree Homeowners Association, the Painted Hills Homeowners Association, REI, Wisetail, State of Montana Recreational Trails Program, American Explorers, and generous individual donors.
Trail construction will last for the next 6-8 weeks and we ask that trail users respect the landowners and construction crews by staying off the trail until final completion. Please remember, this connector trail will travel through private land and trail user etiquette and respect will be incredibly important. It is critical to the future of trail development in this community that we show landowners we can keep our dogs on leash, pick up dog waste, yield appropriately, stay on the trail, and be respectful to fellow trail users and neighbors.