Wild Montana Hosts Winter Activities
From January to March 2023, Wild Montana will offer 40 winter adventures across Montana. These adventures are free outings and educational experiences led by volunteers who are passionate about Montana’s public lands and wild places. Participants can learn about the history and ecology of Montana’s landscapes while developing new skills, like cross-country skiing, igloo building and wildlife tracking.
One pending snowshoeing event in our region is an easy, 3-mile hike on Norm’s Island, in the Yellowstone River, Feb. 11. Part of Billings’ Riverfront Park system, the area is an excellent example of floodplain ecology. Attendees will learn about the Lower Yellowstone River Coalition, which is building community consensus to establish new recreation access and to protect wildlife habitat along 175 miles of the lower Yellowstone River, the longest free-flowing river in the continental United States.
Wildlife lovers can learn to track wildlife on winter landscapes near Yellowstone or seek lynx in the Seeley-Swan. Families can try ice fishing near Helena or learn about winter camping near Missoula. Nature lovers of all ages and abilities can try snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in wilderness and proposed wilderness areas across the state.
Other events include activities near Columbus, Red Lodge and Frannie, Wyo.
Wild Montana has offered free group outings since 1960 to connect people with the places they are working to protect. Like Wild Montana’s flagship Wilderness Walks program, Winter Adventures are open to all ages and abilities. The complete schedule of 2023 Winter Adventures is available at wildmontana. org/winter-adventures. Registration is required. Each event opens for registration one month in advance.
