Bozeman Pass Legacy
In 1991, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust completed its first 181-acre conservation project on Bozeman Pass.  Since then, GVLT has worked with twelve Bozeman Pass families to conserve more than 4,000 acres of private land - permanently protecting prime habitat, critical wildlife movement corridors, and scenic views.   One of the keystones of our work on Bozeman Pass is the Schmidt project.  After seven years partnering with the visionary and generous Schmidt family, in 2007 we helped to permanently conserve 1,240 acres of Schmidt family land through a conservation easement, and another 815 acres straddling I-90 was acquired as public land by Gallatin National Forest with help from the Trust for Public Land.  The new public land provides permanent access to a popular rock climbing area and will soon include a spectacular new trail to the top of Chestnut Mountain south of I-90.  This landmark 2055-acre conservation project is adjacent to four other GVLT conservation easements, including the original 1991 property.  GVLT's goal is to continue to link new conservation projects to ensure that Bozeman Pass remains a spectacular scenic gateway and a safe passage for wildlife.

Photo by Alex Diekmann