Helena’s Trails Community At A Crossroads
No Trespassing signs, fences, fights at trailheads. Dog bites. People shouting, “Go back to where you came from.” ATVs tearing up meadows. Threatening notes on cars. These incidents took place this summer in Helena’s South Hills and are a reminder that it takes all of us to maintain Helena’s reputation for a Happy Trails culture.
Historically, the South Hills were mined, quarried, logged, burned, shelled, and used as a dumping ground. When I was growing up in Helena in the ‘80s, there was one trail (the historic 1906 Trail) to the summit of Mount Helena, a good mountain bike cost $400, and “outdoor recreation” meant Prowler trailers and spinning rods. That has all changed. Outdoor recreation is driving our state economy, thanks to several factors, like the volunteers who generously gave time, money, effort, and land to support efforts to create and protect places like Mount Ascension Natural Park and to build trail systems like the South Hills, which now boasts more than 80 miles of beloved, multi-use singletrack.
Happy Trails is a genuine love of the land, the trails, and the community of people who use them. When I moved back to Helena in 2007, my husband and I re-discovered our hometown through this new culture and the work of PPLT. Everyone had access to trails and open space and was excited to share them generously. They smiled and said “hi” on the trails and got their hands dirty to protect and improve them. Helena is known for being a kind, modest, and neighborly town, so it wasn’t surprising that that way of living and interacting was at the core of PPLT and Happy Trails.
Use of our public lands is on the rise, user conflict has increased, and, in the case of the Eddye McClure East Trail, a few property owners want to end public access. The changes we’re seeing in our community are a microcosm of the population growth and political and environmental shifts we’re experiencing as a nation. Life is a little (or a lot) harder and stress is high for many people. The costs of raising a family and thriving have increased. Some folks are more concerned about their safety and property than ever. That can make it harder to love the land, the trails, and the people who use them.
What Can You Do For Happy Trails?
First, be kind and generous. We don’t need No Trespassing signs and notes on cars telling people they can’t recreate. We don’t need shouting matches at trailheads or “not in my backyard” attitudes. Let’s put up “Enjoy the Trails” signs. Let’s tell the people we meet on the trail, “Hi! Have a great day.”
Second, get involved. Our public lands are owned by each and every one of us, but that only works to the extent that each and every one of us is involved in the public process. Public land managers need your input, and they’re happy to take your calls at the numbers listed below.
Starting in 1995, Prickly Pear Land Trust galvanized the community around protecting Mount Ascension from a large development. Many original board members – Connie Cole, Angie Grove, Bob Kieisling, Jonathan Krauss, Curt Larsen, Kris Larson, Ken Morrison, Dawn North, Kelly Settle, and so many others – continue to help PPLT today. They helped to pass the first open space bond, raised private dollars to match those funds, negotiated dozens of land transactions, and built the trails by hand. The PPLT of today was founded upon that genuine, community-grown effort; that was the soil in which Happy Trails took root.
Third, invest in community efforts like PPLT. We are dedicated to protecting and expanding public access to open space and trails so the Happy Trails culture can grow with our community.
Land Managers
- City of Helena, Parks Department | 406-449-8463
- U.S. Forest Service, Helena Ranger District | 406-449-5490
- Bureau of Land Management, Western Montana District | 406-533-7600
