Thirty years after its founding, Prickly Pear Land Trust marks its 30th conservation easement with Elk Ridge, protecting vital wildlife habitat and open space in the South Hills.
Ranching asks for strength, but also demands patience. You know how much of this work is unseen, unrecorded, and done simply because it needed to be.
In the Helena Valley, spring often arrives along the water. Snowdrifts recede from shaded banks, creeks swell with runoff, and willows begin to leaf out. Against the sound of moving water are the high, clear notes of migratory songbirds moving through the trees.
Since 2000, we’ve been gathering in the South Hills to kick up dust, chase personal bests, and celebrate the open lands that make Helena home. Whether you’re an alum who heard the first starting gun or a first-timer running for a cause, you’re part of the Happy Trails community.
Helena stands apart, where a long-standing “Happy Trails” culture reflects a community built on shared access, respect, and stewardship of its open lands.
In 2025, BCBSMT awarded over $470,000 in grants statewide, including $15,000 to support PPLT’s outdoor recreation and education programs.
After nearly four decades, appraiser Tim Moore is retiring, leaving a lasting legacy of expertise and partnership that helped conserve roughly 10,000 acres with Prickly Pear Land Trust.
Pronghorn in the Helena area highlight the importance of open space and wildlife connectivity, with conservation efforts helping sustain healthy ecosystems and migration across the landscape.
Thirty years after its founding, Prickly Pear Land Trust marks its 30th conservation easement with Elk Ridge, protecting vital wildlife habitat and open space in the South Hills.
A paddleboarding journey along the Missouri River highlights how conservation easements protect vital habitat, working lands, and public access for future generations.
