Take Advantage of Bozeman Trails This Winter

WRITTEN BY NELL GEHRKE

I remember the first time I went sledding down the Big Hill by myself. I climbed into my purple sled with yellow twine rope, and my mom gave me a gentle push to send me on my way. Later, my parents would say it was like watching a heat-seeking missile. My sled curved in course toward a boy standing at the bottom of the hill. We collided. His snow boots flew in the air, and he landed in the sled with me. We were both fine despite the drama. Now, my parents and I laugh about this memory each time the snow falls.

The wonderful thing about winter is that kids get a whole new landscape to play in. Southwest Montana is a winter wonderland. Adults and their young ones can play together by sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on our trails. Just remember to make sure the kiddos go to the bathroom before they get bundled up in their snowsuits.

I hope that my story about running into a little boy doesn’t scare people away from taking the kids in their life sledding. Peets Hill is an incredible place to sled. Park in the lot off of Church Street and walk up the hill as far as feels comfortable. There is also a berm built to catch sledders coming down the hill. I witnessed a young person sled all the way down Peets, get caught by the berm, and then sled down the berm to give them a head start in the walk back up the Big Hill. Genius. Gallatin Regional Park has a mellow little sledding hill with great views of the surrounding ponds from the top.

Can your little one walk? If so, they can snowshoe. This is a great way to spend some time in snow-covered trees. As a child, I enjoyed when adults in my life invited me to walk quietly through a natural space. After five minutes or so, stop and invite everyone in your group to share what they were thinking about or observing in the quiet space. Highland Glen has a multi-use trail where families can enjoy views of the snow-capped mountains while out on a walk together. Just make sure to leave your dogs behind if you plan on visiting the Glen. Crosscut has snowshoe rentals as well as trails specifically dedicated to snowshoeing.

Cross-country skiing is another way to move through the snow globe that is Montana in the winter. The Bridger Ski Foundation grooms cross-country trails in Highland Glen, Sunset Hills, Sourdough Canyon, Sacajawea Middle School and the Bridger Creek Golf Course. These trails are open to the public, but if you are a regular skier, consider buying a family ski pass to support BSF in their grooming efforts. They also offer lessons if you and your little ones are new to skiing. Crosscut and Hyalite are also great places to go skiing, and Crosscut offers ski rentals and lessons as well.

It is important to take young people outside in the winter, to teach them how to catch snowflakes on their tongues, find the perfect branches to make a snowman and pull them around town in a sled. Hopefully, the misadventures you experience, like sending them down a hill in a sled before they really know how to steer it, will be fond memories they can look back on. No matter what winter adventure you share with your little one this season, it never hurts to cap off the day with a mug of hot chocolate and some pajamas fresh out of the dryer.

Nell Gehrke is on the Trails Team at the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, a member of the Outside Kind Alliance.