Wilderness Walks connect people with Montana landscape

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - Looking for an excuse to make it out into the world-class wilderness surrounding Bozeman this summer?

Not that one is necessary - but, in any case, the Montana Wilderness Association is happy to oblige.

MWA, one of the state's premier conservation groups, has been leading Montanans into the outdoors for more than half a century, MWA staffer John Todd said. That continues this summer, with two annual programs that will give Bozemanites and other Montanans a chance to experience the state's wild places with experienced trip leaders.

The first, the organization's Wilderness Walks program, involves day hikes and overnight trips at a variety of difficulty levels, ranging from leisurely strolls to strenuous adventures. More than 160 walks are scheduled across the state between the last weekend in May and early October, including 21 in the Bozeman area.

New this year to the Wilderness Walk lineup are several Wildlands Inventory trips in remote areas like the Pryor Mountains, where participants will have the chance to help collect field data on wildlife and plants. The data collected through such citizen-science programs, MWA says, could potentially be used to help justify additional protections for wild parts of the state not currently designated as wilderness.

The organization also hosts an annual series of multi-day treks that provide volunteers a chance to contribute to trail projects on the 78-percent-complete Continental Divide Trail. As of press time, however, most had a full complement of volunteers already.

"They do fill up quickly," Todd said. "They go to just the finest places in Montana."

While some of the recreationally focused wilderness walks fill up quick - Todd said a climb to the top of Sleeping Giant Mountain north of Helena, possible thanks to an arrangement that allows the crossing of private land, tends to fill up within minutes after registration opens in April - it is possible to sign up for others through the MWA website closer to the day of the expedition.

"We have a really good turnout for all of these hikes," he noted.

Todd pointed to family friendly trips to places specific to the Bozeman area, like Palisade or Grotto Falls, which he hopes will make it easier for parents of young children to dust off the hiking books they may have traded for car seats.

"I'm really excited about all the opportunities to get young families out," Todd said.

The experiences MWA provides, Todd said, are intended to help people connect with the landscapes that define Montana, thereby engaging participants in advancing the organization's conservation mission.

"It's really hard to advocate for places you haven't visited," Todd said. "It helps with establishing a shared sense of responsibility."

After all, Todd said, "These are our public lands."