New All-Abilities Trails at Sunset Hills

We are excited to announce the Sunset Hills All-Abilities Trails Project. In partnership with the City of Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department, GVLT is building a vibrant trail network around the 30-acre open field of Sunset Hills, located between Lindley Park and Bozeman Health, which will be accessible to all ages and abilities. Work began this week and is expected to be complete by late June.

Already a hub of winter trails managed by the Bridger Ski Foundation, Sunset Hills hasn’t historically been maintained outside of the winter season. However, when the most recent revision of Bozeman’s future land use map reclassified the area as Parks and Open Space, GVLT identified a prime opportunity to advance one of the primary goals of our Trails program—Expanding Access. At GVLT, we believe that trails are for everyone. All members of our community, regardless of physical abilities, should have the same opportunities to experience the adventure, challenge, fulfillment, social bonding, and essential physical and mental health benefits of our trail system.

Sunset Hills will feature trails with a range of surfaces, from existing paved shared-use paths to gravel and natural surface accessible trails, allowing users to gradually increase their comfort level with different trail types. The trails will accommodate a variety of adaptive devices, such as hiking wheelchairs, adaptive mountain bikes, and other mobility aids.

“New technologies for mobility devices continue to advance, and our trail infrastructure needs to keep pace,” says GVLT Trails Program Manager Adam Johnson. “We are excited to build trails that demonstrate our commitment to reducing barriers within the Main Street to the Mountains trail system.

All Abilities trails also make ideal places for kids to learn to bike. Far from “flat,” Sunset Hills features some gentle elevation changes, making the area somewhat unique to the urban core. This provides the kind of variety and skills development opportunities necessary to progress in sports like adaptive mountain biking. Sunset Hills will also provide a springboard to more challenging trails like those found nearby in Highland Glen, where six miles of natural surface trails await.

The project will also improve accessibility at the Bozeman Softball Complex by adding dedicated accessible parking, benefiting both trail users and those attending events at the complex.

GVLT’s primary project partner is the City of Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department. The project takes place on City of Bozeman land, and the City is providing planning support and is funding many of the improvements at the Softball Complex parking lot. Additionally, GVLT has consulted with key stakeholders, including Age-Friendly Bozeman, Eagle Mount, Bridger Ski Foundation, Bozeman Youth Cycling, Bozeman Cyclocross, Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association, and a U.S. Paralympic coach and athletes, to ensure the project creates the maximum impact for a variety of user groups and abilities.

Once complete, Sunset Hills All-Abilities Trails will be part of a year-round trail system well-connected to already established trails found in nearby Burke Park/Peets Hill, Lindley Park, Highland Glen, and the Gallagator.

For more details about the project and its location, see the Sunset Hills All-Abilities Trails Project story map.