Filling the Gap

Bozemanites will soon be able to bike, run, or walk from the Bozeman Public Library to the top of the Triple Tree Trail, all on the Main Street to the Mountains system. The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) is linking the Painted Hills and Triple Tree trails, after residential development dissolved a previous connection. The new trail, slated to break ground in the summer of 2018, follows years of gathering easements to fill the gap. “Projects like these take time, but working with landowners means being respectful of their wishes and timing,” says E.J. Porth, communications and outreach director at GVLT. Generous private landowners, donations from entities including Bozeman-based software company Wisetail, and money from the federally-funded Recreational Trails Program have helped GVLT cross properties and raise the project’s estimated cost of $183,000. GVLT aims to unveil the trail’s finalized route to the public this fall.