FEATURED TRAIL
Path To The M Trail
Description
Trail enthusiasts love the great ride, run, or walk on this 2.1-mile route. The shared-use path runs along the south side of Bridger Drive from Story Mill Road to the end of the Headlands subdivision. It crosses Bridger Drive at Creekwood Drive and continues on the north side of the road to the College M trailhead, where trail users can access countless trails in the Bridger Mountains. The path also connects via a pedestrian underpass to the Drinking Horse trailhead. The path provides trail connectivity to the Story Mill Community Park, Depot Park, Story Mill Spur Trail, Glen Lake Rotary Park, Cherry River, and the entire north side of Bozeman.
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🟢 Easy
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2.1 miles one way
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Asphalt shared-use pathway
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Walking, running, biking
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The trail can be icy in the winter.
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There are parking lots at Story Mill Community Park or at the College M Trail, both of which are off Bridger Drive.
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Allowed on-leash
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There is a rapid flashing beacon at the Bridger Drive crossing.
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The Story Mill Community Park lot is paved with dedicated accessible spaces and curb cuts to access the fully accessible shared-use pathway. The parking lot at the College M Trail is asphalt but has steep grades. No dedicated accessible parking spaces are available in the lots at the College M or Drinking Horse trailheads.
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Call Bozeman Parks and Recreation at 406-582-2290.
Trail History
This important connection from town to our public lands to the north was in the works for six years before it opened in 2019. Initially, GVLT rallied partners to apply for a grant through the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) to fund a bicycle and pedestrian path from Bozeman to the Bridger Mountains, accessing the Forest Service’s College M Trail and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Drinking Horse Mountain Trail. The grant was approved and allocated $3.4 million to the construction of the path.
After securing funding from FLAP, GVLT submitted a proposal to the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOP) program and was awarded $675,000 to match federal dollars for the Path to the M project. The City of Bozeman and the Federal Highway Administration were then able to plan the route, negotiate trail easements, and work with a contractor on construction. After considerable effort, community support, and patience during construction, the Path to the M opened in 2019.
As with any trail project, this path would not have been possible without a team of partners including the City of Bozeman, Gallatin County, Western Transportation Institute, U.S. Forest Service, Federal Highway Administration, Montana Department of Transportation, and Collin’s Coalition.