16 May Discovery Walks with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust in May & June

New to town? New to trails? Simply want to explore with some new friends? Discovery Walks are for you! These one-hour, guided walks will help you discover the 80+ miles of trail on the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. These walks are a great introduction to the world of activities and hobbies right outside your back door.

Discovery Walks are free, one-hour, guided walks on the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. You’ll meet new people, learn something new, and explore a new trail. A knowledgeable expert will guide you on an easy and casual stroll. A volunteer will always stay at the back of the line so you’ll never be left behind. All walk attendees receive a free trail map at the end of walk so they can explore more trails! No RSVP is necessary, just arrive a few minutes beforehand. Meeting locations are listed next to the descriptions and locations are marked on the Google Map at the bottom of this page. Many of the walks are family friendly (and kids encouraged!) and will be designated as such on the schedule. Because these are group walks, please refrain from bringing your pooch. We will post on our website and social media if walks are cancelled due to weather or illness.  Please bring water and appropriate shoes for light walking. Sunscreen and layers are encouraged on sunny days!

Walk, talk, explore your trails this summer with Discovery Walks!

2018 DISCOVERY WALKS SCHEDULE

May 8 Nature Journaling @ Sourdough Trail 5:30pm (meet at trailhead at Tuckerman Park off of Goldenstein Rd.) Grow your relationship with the natural world through a nature journal. Between drawing and taking notes, you’ll notice the detail in the plants, animals, mountains, and landscapes that surround you. Great for families!

May 12 Wildflower Walk @ Mt. Ellis Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead at the end of Mt. Ellis Lane off of Bozeman Trail Rd.) Come check out the spring wildflowers! Whitney Tilt, a local wildflower expert and author of Flora of the Yellowstone, will lead us on an exploration of the local flora.

May 14 Walk with Baby with Roots Family Collaborative @ Sourdough Trail 9:00am (meet at the trailhead at Tuckerman Park off of Goldenstein Rd.) Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers and join us as we explore the trails around Bozeman feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back, let your toddler stop to smell the flowers — turn around whenever you like.

May 16 Walk with a Doc  with Bozeman Health @ Peets Hill 5:30pm (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Join a Bozeman Health provider to learn about a health topic while you walk at your own pace.

May 20 Walking Meditation with Jessica Cartwright @ Cherry River Trail 10:00am (meet at the trailhead off of the Frontage Rd. by the parking lot) Get in touch with your breath and nature, leave feeling refreshed with this walking meditation.

May 21 Summer Survival Kids Walk with MOSS @ East Gallatin Rec. Area 9:30am (meet at the climbing boulder near the dock and pavilions, off of Manley Rd.) Prepare for a great adventure by learning compass basics, survival necessities, and preparation skills to stay safe and have fun all summer long!

May 22 Family Adventure Walk with Montana Mountain Mamas @ Chestnut Mountain Trail 4:00pm (meet at the trailhead off of Trail Creek Rd. exit on the interstate)  Want your kids to share your love for the trail? There is nothing more fun than hiking with other families! Join us for an all ages, all abilities, exploration of the Chestnut Mountain Trail just outside of Bozeman.

May 23 How are trails created? with GVLT @ Peets Hill 5:30pm (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) 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!

May 24 Walk with Baby with Roots Family Collaborative @ Sourdough Trail 9:00am  (meet at the trailhead at Tuckerman Park off of Goldenstein Rd.) Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers and join us as we explore the trails around Bozeman feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back, let your toddler stop to smell the flowers — turn around whenever you like.

May 25 Sensational Senses Kids Walk with MOSS @ Bozeman Pond Park 9:30am (meet at the natural playground near the new north parking lot off of Fowler Ave.) 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!

May 28 Hiking Basics Kids  Walk with MOSS @ Drinking Horse Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) Join us to become familiar with trail etiquette, hike planning, fun tips and tricks for the trail, and other essentials for getting started as a hiker!

May 31 Walk with Baby with Roots Family Collaborative @ Regional Park 9:00am (meet at the entrance of the Dinosaur Playground, parking lot off of Davis St.) Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers and join us as we explore the trails around Bozeman feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back, let your toddler stop to smell the flowers — turn around whenever you like.

May 31 Wetlands Restoration with Trust for Public Land @ Story Mill Community Park 5:30pm(meet at the Story Mill Spur trailhead at Story Mill Rd., across from the old mill buildings) Learn about clean water at Story Mill Park and end the walk at the Bozone Brewery to learn about beer and water

June 1 Kids Birding with MOSS @ Cherry River 9:30am (meet at the trailhead off of the Frontage Rd. by the parking lot) 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!

June 2 Wildflower Walk @ Drinking Horse Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) Explore the variety of blooming wildflowers with local wildflower enthusiast and expert, Carolyn Hopper. Can you name them all?

June 4 Trail Tracking Kids Walk with MOSS @ The M Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) What types of creatures have been here before us? Get ready to put your detective skills to work while you discover what some of our areas most popular wildlife have been up to while we were away. Search for tracks, scat, and fur as clues!

June 5 Walk with a Naturopathic Doctor @ Peets Hill 11:00am (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Dr. McKenzie Mescon with Spring Integrative Health will walk with you and describe the unique approach of a Naturopathic Doctor. She’ll share easy tips and tricks to living a healthier and more natural life!

June 6 Walk and Talk Through History with Gallatin History Museum @ Peets Hill 5:30pm (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Learn some of Bozeman’s rich history and discover some interesting facts about our community’s past.

June 7 Walk with Baby with Roots Family Collaborative @ Peets Hill 9:00am (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers and join us as we explore the trails around Bozeman feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back, let your toddler stop to smell the flowers — turn around whenever you like.

June 8 Bugging Out Kids Walk with MOSS @ Drinking Horse Mountain Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) Creep and crawl your way around a trail to explore the hiding spots of your favorite insects! How many insects can we find!?

June 9 Introduction to Birding @ Sourdough Trail 8:00am (meet at the trailhead at Tuckerman Park off of Goldenstein Rd.) If you’re new to birding or want to discover the “open secrets” of Sourdough Trail, join some experienced birders for what is considered by many to be the best birding walk in the Gallatin Valley. Quiet, curious walkers will be rewarded with a handful of species sightings, a nesting site or two, and glorious birdsong within the hour. Map and bird list provided. Bring binoculars if you have them!

June 11 Wonderful Water Kids Walk with MOSS @ Sourdough Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead at Tuckerman Park off of Goldenstein Rd.) Everybody needs water! Come discover what a healthy river needs, explore a marsh, and get your feet wet! A great way to cool down, and enjoy a hike!

June 12 Biking with Bob: Explore trails with GVLT Board Member @ GVLT Office 6:00pm (meet on back patio, 212 S. Wallace Suite 102) Do yourself a favor and discover your community bike trails with Bob Sands, GVLT Board Member and bike enthusiast. Bob will take you on some of his favorites bike routes, from city streets to lush, shady bike paths. So dust off your helmet and pump up your tires! These rides are designed for bikers of all abilities.

June 14 Walk with Baby with Roots Family Collaborative @ East Gallatin Rec. Area 9:00am  (meet at the climbing boulder near the dock and pavilions, off of Manley Rd.) Be a part of our community of new and expecting mothers and join us as we explore the trails around Bozeman feeling the benefits of nature with no judgments or expectations. Strap a baby on your back, let your toddler stop to smell the flowers — turn around whenever you like.

June 14 Wildflower Survivors with Montana Native Plant Society @ East Gallatin Rec. Area 5:30pm (meet in the farthest parking lot, past the beach and the bathrooms) Take an evening stroll through the East Gallatin Recreation Area on the north side of Bozeman, to see what plants are showing during this time of the summer. This primitive park has a large and diverse riparian flora, including a special plant that is rare in this part of the state. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes that can get wet, and bring bug repellent.

June 15 Amphibious Adventures Kids Walk with MOSS @ Sourdough Canyon Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead, at the end of Sourdough Canyon Rd. which is off of Nash Rd.) Did you know that Montana has native tiger salamanders and chorus frogs? Can you guess where they live? Let’s get outside and explore the habitats of our amphibious neighbors.

June 16 Walk and Talk Through History with Gallatin History Museum @ Peets Hill 9:30am(meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Learn some of Bozeman’s rich history and discover some interesting facts about our community’s past.

June 18 Habitat Hunters Kids Walk with MOSS @ Drinking Horse Mountain Trail 9:30am (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) Look high and low for signs of a home! Discover what wild animals love to have in their habitats, and build one of your own!

June 20 A Foraging Perspective: How Grazing Shaped the Gallatin Valley with MSU Gallatin County Ag. Extension @ Highland Glen Nature Preserve 5:30pm (meet at the trailhead by the Softball Complex off of Ellis St.) Josh Bilbao from the MSU Gallatin County Agriculture Extension office will cover the history of grazing livestock in the Gallatin Valley and how that practice has affected the plant communities and species we find on the landscape today.

June 22 Adaptation Nation Kids Walk with MOSS @ Regional Park 9:30am (meet at the entrance of the Dinosaur Playground, parking lot off of Davis St.) How did a frog develop gills? Why do choke cherrie’s have their name? Let’s explore how animals and plants are always changing to help them survive!

June 23 Walk with a Doc with Bozeman Health @ Peets Hill 10:00am (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Take a walk with Lynn Foss, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with Bozeman Health, to learn how to keep your family healthy!

June 25 Rock Hounds Kids Walk with MOSS @ The M Trail 9:30am   (meet at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Bridger Dr.) Explore the geologically-rich Bridger Mountains while learning about different kinds of rocks and fossils! How are they formed and where can you find them?

June 28 Noxious Weeds and Invasive Grasses with Gallatin County Weed District @ Peets Hill 5:30pm (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Join Jane Mangold with the Gallatin County Weed District for a talk about Ventenata, a non-native invasive annual grass that is increasing in Gallatin County and Western Montana. You’ll learn what it looks like, why we’re worried about it, and what you can do to keep it from spreading.

June 29 Walk with a Doc with Bozeman Health @ Peets Hill 10:00am (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Join Dr. Katie D’Ardenne, a Pediatrician with Bozeman Health, to learn about how to keep your family healthy!

June 30 Railroad History @ Gallagator Trail 10:00am (meet at the base of Peets Hill at the bridge near the parking lot off of Church Ave.) Did you know that the Gallagator Trail is an old rail line? Rufus Cone will share history on the historic rail line that took passengers from Bozeman to Salesville, now Gallatin Gateway.

July 10 Biking with Bob: Explore trails with GVLT Board Member @ GVLT Office  6:00pm (meet on back patio, 212 S. Wallace Suite 102) Do yourself a favor and discover your community bike trails with Bob Sands, GVLT Board Member and bike enthusiast. Bob will take you on some of his favorites bike routes, from city streets to lush, shady bike paths. So dust off your helmet and pump up your tires! These rides are designed for bikers of all abilities.

August 14 Biking with Bob: Explore trails with GVLT Board Member @ GVLT Office 6:00pm(meet on back patio, 212 S. Wallace Suite 102) Do yourself a favor and discover your community bike trails with Bob Sands, GVLT Board Member and bike enthusiast. Bob will take you on some of his favorites bike routes, from city streets to lush, shady bike paths. So dust off your helmet and pump up your tires! These rides are designed for bikers of all abilities.Thanks to the Mysun Foundation for their support of this program. Thanks also to our program partners, Montana Outdoor Science School, City of Bozeman, and more! These walks are 100% volunteer led so please thank your leaders and sweepers for their time.