Outdoor Recreation

Expanding Recreational Opportunities for the Community

As northwest Montana’s local land trust, we are committed to enhancing the quality of life in our communities. Alongside our conservation projects protecting critical land and water resources, we are proud to engage in projects that provide outdoor recreational opportunities in our area. Our community projects are often highly collaborative, involving many individuals, agencies and organizations working together to safeguard open spaces and provide public access.

Flathead Land Trust has worked with many partners on public trail projects:

Developing the Harrell Forest community trails
Supplementing the well-used trail system at Lone Pine State Park
Protecting the Lupfer section of the growing Whitefish Trail Network
Adding acreage to Herron Park, which contributed to the larger effort of creating a permanent trail from Herron Park to Blacktail Mountain
Collaborating on the Haskill Basin segment of the Whitefish Trail within the Iron Horse Conservation Easement
Working with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Gateway to Glacier Trails to help create the River Trail on the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area

Many of Flathead Land Trust’s cooperative projects provide public access to special places for bird & wildlife viewing and recreation:

Rare public access to Flathead Lake was secured by creating Somers Beach State Park along the north shore
Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area provides seasonal public trails and limited hunting opportunities
West Valley Bird and Wildlife Viewing Area affords visitors views of thousands of migrating sandhill cranes and other waterfowl and bird species
Owen Sowerwine, designated as an Important Bird Area, offers birding and quiet outdoor experiences

Flathead Land Trust has collaborated on multiple projects providing and protecting public fishing access:

Pine Grove Community Fishing Pond
McWenneger Slough Fishing Access Site
Columbia Falls family fishing pond at River’s Edge Park