Madison-Gallatin Chapter

South Central Montana

Jake Moshe
Jake Moshe

About the Madison-Gallatin Chapter

The Madison-Gallatin Chapter supports Wild Montana’s mission by providing community outreach and education that inspire residents of Gallatin, Park, Madison, and Sweet Grass Counties to protect wild public lands and waters in southwest and south-central Montana, including the Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Crazy Mountains, the Absaroka Mountains, and other landscapes.

Contact Us

The Madison-Gallatin Chapter Board meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 6–8 p.m. at Bozeman Fire Station #3, 1705 Vaquero Pkwy, Bozeman. All Wild Montana members are welcome! For more information, email madison.gallatin@wildmontana.org.

Chapter Board

President: Doug Bartholomew
Secretary: Tami Clark
Treasurer: Roger Jenkins
Members: Carl Anderson, Tami Clark, Stephanie Lindsay, and Forrest Schoessow

How We Help Keep Montana Wild

Our chapter has two active stewardship programs: Trail Crew and Wilderness Stewards. Both are open to Wild Montana members and others who wish to volunteer.

Our Trail Crew program has adopted two Forest Service trails for regular maintenance and improvement: the Lava Lake Trail in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness of the Madison Range, and the Cliff Creek Trail that accesses the east side of the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area in the Gallatin Range. Each summer we organize trail crews to conduct needed work on these and other trails as suggested by the Forest Service.

For our Wilderness Stewards program, we work with the Forest Service to organize volunteers that not only support our trail crews but also have a frequent presence on other trails that receive high use. The stewards provide friendly advice on trail conditions and authorized uses. They also answer questions, pick up litter, remove unauthorized fire rings, and spread the word about leaving no trace. In addition, they also collect valuable information for the Forest Service such as trail conditions, the number and type of trail users, number of dogs, number of vehicles at the trailhead, and more.

Our chapter is proud to partner with Outside Kind to encourage communities to protect and respect public lands and waters. Wild Montana connects people to public lands through our Wilderness Walks, Volunteer Trail Crew projects, and online hiking guide, all of which stress responsible use of trails. Learn more at outsidekind.org.

For the last few summers, we have sponsored a volunteer wilderness ranger in the Madison Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. In the summer of 2023, MGC was joined by Will Beer. You can read about Will’s experience here. This year the Madison Gallatin Chapter has once more fundraised the stipend of a volunteer wilderness ranger, Will Beer. To find out more about how to contribute in the future please contact madison.gallatin@wildmontana.org.

Our chapter typically sponsors four to six of these events each year, usually in the fall and winter. We invite speakers with various expertise and/or travel experiences to do an informal presentation of their work or travels. These events are always free and open to the public and are a great way to meet like-minded members of our community, share some light refreshments, and learn something new. You can view and read about past presentations here.

Although hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic and its disruption of classes, we hope to re-engage with Montana State University students and faculty in 2021 through several programs. In 2019 we worked with students in MSU’s Leadership Fellows Program, providing opportunities to engage in the work of a nonprofit organization and participate in board meetings and other events.

Each summer our chapter sponsors 10 to 20 of these guided events, all of which are free and open to the public. Wilderness Walks may range from short family-friendly walks to extremely strenuous backcountry hikes. They often include some educational information about wildflowers, birds, geography, photography, and geology. We usually sponsor a few similar events in the winter months that might include snowshoe hikes or cross-country ski trips.

Upcoming Events

Know Your H2O: Bozeman Water Treatment Plant Tour

South Central Montana MT

NEAREST TOWN: BOZEMAN | DIFFICULTY: EASY
Like many towns in Montana, Bozeman's water supply emanates from the wild country surrounding it. Wild Montana's work to protect our headwaters is only one part of the equation in ensuring healthy water resources. Join us for a tour of Bozeman's Water Treatment Plant to gain a better understanding of how clean water makes its way to our communities and how we can all be better stewards of our watersheds.

Free

Know Your H2O: Bozeman Water Reclamation Facility Tour

South Central Montana MT

NEAREST TOWN: BOZEMAN | DIFFICULTY: EASY
Like many towns in Montana, Bozeman's water supply emanates from the wild country surrounding it. Wild Montana's work to protect our headwaters is only one part of the equation in ensuring healthy water resources. Join us for a tour of Bozeman's Water Reclamation Facility to gain a better understanding of what happens to our gray water and how we can all be better stewards of our watersheds.

Free

Jack Creek Trail Hike

South Central Montana MT

NEAREST TOWN: ENNIS | DIFFICULTY: EXTREMELY STRENUOUS
Celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer this Memorial Day weekend with a scenic hike in the Madison Range. This 10.5-mile hike follows Jack Creek just outside the Taylor Hilgard Unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. We'll finish our excursion at the beautiful Shadow Lake, where we'll enjoy lunch as we discuss the work Wild Montana is doing to preserve the area's ecological value.

Free

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