Montana Wilderness Association - montana wilderness association, montana wilderness, montana hunting, montana public lands, hiking montana, best hike montana, protect public lands montana

MWA's priority is first and foremost the health and safety of our volunteers, staff, members, and attendees. With that in mind, we have decided to cancel all early-season hikes (May 16 - July 15). Signups will no longer be conducted on May 4 for members and May 7 for the general public.

We will still host the late-season walks (July 17 - Sept. 29) with signups on June 29 for members and July 2 for the general public. Some hikes during the Late Season have been canceled, though, so be sure to check and see before trying to sign up. 

Find a Wilderness Walk in your region

How to sign up

When does Wilderness Walks registration occur this year?

Walks registration is divided into early (May 16 to July 15) and late (July 17 to September 29) seasons. As mentioned above, the EARLY SEASON HIKES ARE CANCELED BUT THE LATE SEASON WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED. Each season will have a separate registration period, and members will receive early registration privileges. 

For members: Late-season registration will begin on Monday, June 29.

For the general public: Late-season registration will begin on Thursday, July 2. 

In the Discover Wild Montana trail book, all early-season hikes are marked with an E; late-season hikes are marked with an L.

How do I sign up for a Wilderness Walk?

To get started, follow these instructions:

1. Click on one of the regions above to explore what Wilderness Walks are available near you. 
2. Pick the walk that you wish to attend based on your experience and capability. This is incredibly important as our volunteer Walks leaders are trusted to ensure that all of our attendees are safe and hiking within their capability. Ensure that the Walk hasn't been canceled, as well. 
3. Once you pick your walk(s), click the red “Register for Walk" button. You will be redirected to our online registration page in Eventbrite.
4. To access members-only early registration on May 4 (early season) and June 29 (late season), please use the password provided in the Discover Wild Montana trail book or the follow-up emails that will be sent in the weeks leading up the sign-up dates. 
   • For non-members, registration will be on May 7 (early season) and July 2 (late season).
5. Complete the registration form for your chosen hike. If you are registering for other family members and friends, you will need to fill out information for each participant.
   • Please note: You can register family and friends, but all participants will be required to fill out the liability waiver as they sign up and answer additional questions about their experience. 
6. You’ll receive an email confirmation after signing up for your hike.
   • If you have any questions about the hike or you need to cancel, please contact the Walk leader directly as soon as possible so they can reassign your spot. 
7. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Mike Rooney at mrooney@wildmontana.org.

What happens if a hike is full?

Each Wilderness Walk has a participant limit to guarantee a quiet experience, protect fragile wildlands, and comply with the guidelines of the managing land agency. If your selected hike is full, you will have the opportunity to sign up for the waitlist. If a spot becomes available, the walk leader will contact you. If you don’t hear from the leader, please understand that the hike is full.

What if I need to cancel my reservation?

If you need to cancel your registration, please contact the walk leader directly and as soon as possible.