News from your community trail! |
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Greetings!
This time of year our local conservation lands are so full of change with fresh green shoots emerging from the now bare ground, streams swelling from melt off, and bears emerging from their dens. It's also an exciting time on the Whitefish Trail as we clear the remaining winter blowdown, sections quickly melt and dry out, and bikes begin to take to the trail. Looking ahead to summer, our education schedule and camp registrations are now open! We hope you'll be able to join us on the trail for a guided learning hike, community hike & bike, or kids' program.
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WT Camp Registrations are Open! |
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Registration is now open for Forest Explorers Camp and Girls on the Trail! These camps provide week long opportunities for kids to get out on the trail, explore, learn new skills, and make wonderful friendships. Camps fill up fast, so secure your spot soon! |
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FOREST EXPLORERS' CAMP
Ages 6-10
Wrap up summer by exploring on the Whitefish Trail at Forest Explorers' Camp! These four-day youth camps include hiking, lessons in natural history, interactive games, and art activities.
August 1-4, 9am-1:30pm
August 8-11, 9am-1:30pm
Cost: $60 (scholarships available)
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GIRLS ON THE TRAIL
Ages 12-15
Girls on the Trail brings teenage girls out on the Whitefish Trail to find their own love of mountain biking and hiking, their own appreciation of trails and open lands, and their own strength through hard work and mentorship.
July 11-14, 12-5pm
Cost: $60 (scholarships available)
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Announcing the 2022 WT Education schedule! |
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The full schedule is out now for our Free Kids' Programs, Guided Learning Hikes, and Community Hikes and Bikes for April through October!
All programs have limited capacity and require registration. Registration for each event will open two weeks before the event. If you're interested in the event and want a reminder when registration opens, you can either select 'Remind Me' on the Eventbrite registration page and sign up for an email reminder, or mark yourself as 'Going' on the event's Facebook event to receive a notification.
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Guided Learning Hikes
Whitefish Bear Aware Presentation with FWP: April 13 6:30-8pm
Orienteering: April 16 10am-12pm
Kalispell Bear Aware Presentation with FWP: April 20 6-7:30pm
Spring Bear Aware Hike with Counter Assault: April 23 10am-12pm
Spring Wild Mushroom Hike: May 1 2-4pm
Wildflower Hike with MT Native Plant Society:
June 8 6-8pm
Fall Bear Aware Hike with Counter Assault: September 10 10am-12pm
Photography on the Trail: September 13 10am-12pm
Forest Bathing: September 18 2pm-4pm
Fall Wild Mushroom Hike: September 25 2-4pm
Art on the Trail with Stumptown Art Studio: October 8 10am-12pm
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Kids' Programs
Forest Critters: June 16 10am-12pm
Clay Day: June 22 10am-12pm
Painting from Nature: June 28 10am-12pm
Fairy Houses: July 6 10am-12pm
Tots on the Trail with Whitefish Community Library: July 25 10am-12pm
Nature Creations: July 21 10am-12pm
Nature Scavenger Hunt: July 26 10am-12pm
Community Hikes & Bikes
Mothers' Day Hike with Hiking with Tots: May 8 10am-12pm
Community Mountain Bike Ride with Glacier Cyclery: May 18 6-8pm
Fitness Hike with Erin Sabin: May 21 10am-12pm
Full Moon Hike: July 13 9-11pm
Mindfulness Hike with Yoga Hive: September 22 10am-12pm
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Every year during the month of May, the community hits the trail with every mile logged matched by a dollar donated from Challenge sponsors. Last year 1,150 individuals participated, logging a total of 27,345 miles! Join us and challenge yourself, your friends and family, or compete as a workplace team.
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Do you love your trail? Join us in giving back through volunteer programs like Trail Patrol, Trail Crew, Adopt-a-Trail Crew, Events and Office Support! |
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By Jedd Sankar-Gorton, Program Manager
Spring has arrived on the Whitefish Trail! The combination of warm temperatures and Daylight Savings Time has melted out significant portions of the trail and added plenty of daylight to the evenings for after-work excursions. Places like South Spencer, Lion Mountain, and Skyles are mostly free of snow and are great early season destinations. Meanwhile, there are still sections of ice and hard-packed snow in higher elevations and shadier parts of the trail, such as at Haskill and Beaver Lakes.
Though Spring on the Whitefish Trail is exciting, here are some important reminders as the trail tread adjusts to increased use during the melt-freeze cycles:
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Avoid muddy conditions.
Mornings are often ideal because the tread is often frozen. If you do come across a muddy section of trail, stay in the tread. Walking on the sides of the trail to avoid mud can widen the tread and damage surrounding vegetation.
Respect private property.
Public access has been generously donated. Please respect all private lands and stay on the trail corridor. No hunting, shooting, or fires of any kind, including no smoking.
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Be Bear Aware. Spring is a great time to brush up on being Bear Aware. Take bear spray (and know how to use it!), recreate in groups, avoid using earbuds, and keep dogs under control to discourage wildlife conflicts. Brush up on your bear aware knowledge at one of our upcoming WT education events!
The weather forecast for the next few weeks shows freezing temperatures at night and a mixture of sun and rain during warm days. Taken together, this means that there will continue to be variability across the trail system. Get out and rediscover the world-class trail system that we are so fortunate to have in our community, and please remain aware and respectful of shifting trail conditions. Enjoy!
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Upcoming Education Programs |
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Bear Aware Presentations
with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Alpine Theater Project
at Mountain Center Mall
Flathead National Forest
Supervisors Office
Join us for an informative, in-person presentation with Lori Roberts, Research Assistant on the Grizzly Bear Trend Monitoring Team, and Justine Vallieres, Grizzly Bear Management Specialist of NW Montana from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. We will learn all about Grizzly Bear management and recreating safely in bear country and have time to ask questions.
Pre-registration is required
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with Grizzly Orienteering
April 16 10am-12pm
Alpine Theater Project
at Mountain Center Mall
Join us and orienteering enthusiast Will Dickinson for an adventure on the trail! Participants will join in a presentation at the Lion Mountain Trailhead parking with a short group walking demo. Participants will have the option to complete a demonstration orienteering course (~ 1 mile) with checkpoints along the route.
Pre-registration is required
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Announcing Whitefish Trail Legacy Run Sponsors! |
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We are excited to announce the 2022 Title Sponsors for the Whitefish Trail Legacy Run! Long-time sponsor Whitefish Therapy and Sport Center is returning to present the half-marathon, 10k, 5k, and family fun run. Hammer Nutrition is stepping up to present the 50k, as well as to provide race-day nutrition for all events. |
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New Whitefish Trail
hats available!
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Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!
The Whitefish Trail relies on the generosity of trail users,
conservation-minded supporters, and local businesses to create a year-round, sustainable asset for future generations.
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Whitefish Vitality is an Adopt-A-Trail Sponsor of the Beaver Lake Fishing Access Site, and they have made a long-term commitment to support public access to our local open lands. Empower your health with their advanced health programs and support a local business who gives back to the community.
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BlueCross BlueShield of MT is back as a WT Event Sponsor, supporting the Hit the Trail Challenge. They believe in the positive impacts of outdoor recreation, and specifically how the Whitefish Trail can improve your overall health and wellness. Go with an insurance provider that gives back to the local community!
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Whitefish Legacy Partners
406.862.3880
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