GVLT's Summer Trails Challenge

WRITTEN BY KATIE SPROLES | Photo Louise Johns

Do you love to hit the trails with your kids? To hike, bike, inspect every rock, look for birds or smell the flowers?

Is it a favorite shared activity, or are you just beginning to introduce your kids to your happy place—encouraging every small step with songs, games or snacks along the way?

If you’re looking forward to a season of fun on the trails with your littles—no matter what their level of experience—there’s no better time to get started than during Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s (GVLT) Ninth Annual Summer Trails Challenge.

Beginning June 1, National Trails Day, and continuing through June 27, community members are encouraged to track and report how far you hike, walk, bike, run or roll on area trails. For every mile logged, GVLT will receive $1 from the Summer Trails Challenge Sponsor Match Pool created by generous local business partners. $1 for 1 mile. It’s that easy! Not only will you be creating lasting memories with your children and inspiring the next generation of trail lovers, but your miles will also help support GVLT’s work to expand and enhance the worldclass Main Street to the Mountains trail system, totaling nearly 100 miles right here in our community.

The Summer Trails Challenge is for everyone, regardless of age, income, schedule or fitness level. It doesn’t require any special apps or devices. It’s just people getting outside on their own time to support community trails.

Take the Challenge!

Here’s how it works:

• Local businesses contribute to the Summer Trails Challenge Sponsor Match Pool.

• Community members hike, walk, bike, run or roll on area trails. Any trail, any time –no registration required.

• Beginning June 1, log your miles on the Summer Trails Challenge website. (www. gvlt.org/challenge). Remember, every mile unlocks one dollar.

• Share the challenge on social media, challenge your kids, your friends, or a coworker. A little competition goes a long way and adds to the fun.

• You can also attribute your logged miles to one of GVLT’s sponsor teams.

• Send photos and tag GVLT on Instagram or Facebook so they can re-share them with the rest of the GVLT family.

• Stay tuned to GVLT social media for updates about special prize days on which sponsoring businesses will reward folks who log their miles on that day.

You can log your miles after each adventure, or keep track and do it all at once. Prizes will be awarded to the people who log the most miles as well as several other categories. GVLT will announce the winners at a complimentary end-of-challenge celebration BBQ at GVLT’s office, 212 S. Wallace in Bozeman, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 27. All participants are invited.

Are you ready for the challenge? This year’s presenting sponsors—Bozeman Health, Evergoods and Oboz—and our other supporting business partners have done their part, and now you can do yours. Take a hike, walk your dog, bike your kids to camp or go on a family nature walk. Every step—no matter how tiny—counts. Together, let’s log a record-setting number of miles to benefit your community trail system.

Katie Sproles is Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s (GVLT) Communications Manager. GVLT and its partners build, maintain and enhance the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. GVLT also partners