Current Trail Projects

PROTECT PEETS’ FINAL PIECE

In 2021, GVLT helped acquire 12 new acres on the southern end of Bozeman’s iconic Peets Hill. GVLT transferred the additional acreage to the City of Bozeman to be forever preserved as a city park, expanding the Burke Park/Peets Hill Natural Area by 25%. After a successful fundraising campaign by GVLT and a strategic partnership with the City of Bozeman, funds have been allocated to make improvements to the southern end of Burke Park, including developing new trails, and improving current trail alignments, fencing, wayfinding signage/trail markers, and creating three (3) scenic overlooks.

Front Street Connector

GVLT is planning a new connection that will help link the North part of Bozeman. The 1/4 mile connector trail on Front Street will start at the intersection of Rouse Avenue ans Oak Street on the Northeast side of Bozeman. This paved, multi-use path will occupy a city right-of-way and will greatly improve the safety for trail users who want to connect to the Northeast trail system coming from the west. Right now, people would have to use busy Rouse Ave. to connect with the trail network. With this added connection, people will be able to safely access the Story Mill Spur Trail, the new Story Mill Park, Path to the M, East Gallatin Recreation Area and more. This project is partially funded by the Bozeman Trails, Open Space, and Parks Bond. The total cost for this project is $215,000. Construction is delayed due to road construction in the area.

East West Connector

We’ve connected Main Street to the Mountains, and now we’re embarking on a new vision; connecting neighborhoods, schools, and businesses, east to west, so that trail users may safely traverse the city. We are working to secure city officials’ time, money and resources to plan for and install hundreds of wayfinding signs, create and restore short trail segments to city standards, and ensure that pedestrians and bikers have safe places to cross our busy street network. We’ve applied for funding in the City of Bozeman Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOP) bond fund. TOP funding for these projects will be highly leveraged, and funding from the various sources represents federal, state, county and collaborative investment from several departments within the city, as well as private foundations and businesses. The total cost of the project is around $345,000.

Triangle Trail Plan

We are proud to announce a collaborative effort with Gallatin County to create a Triangle Area Trail Plan. The Triangle is a rapidly developing area that will link Bozeman, Belgrade and Four Corners, but has no active guide or requirement for trail development. Without a plan, trails develop in fragments that are challenging, costly or virtually impossible to connect in the future. Now is the time to prevent a fragmented system and create a vision for a trail system in the Triangle Area. Sanderson Stewart, a local engineering firm with extensive knowledge of trails planning and the Triangle Area, will lead this public process.

Bear Creek Trail and Conservation Project

Recognizing  the significant habitat  values that merge in the Bear Canyon area with growing public enjoyment in the area south east of Bozeman, the Land Trust has been working on a project to acquire, own and manage a small piece of property with an outsized impact on the public lands around it. Growth throughout the valley has had an impact on Bear Canyon.  New homes and development along with increased demand for recreation have impacted Bear Canyon as they have other neighborhoods in the foothills around the valley.  Neighbors have seen a marked decline in wildlife and an increase in traffic leading to two existing trailheads. A longtime friend of GVLT and Bear Canyon resident approached us with a vision for his undeveloped 18 acres. He asked us if we could help him protect the property from development and build a trail to access adjacent public land. We couldn’t ignore his generous offer and vision.