Hit the trails at local parks for New Year’s competition
Roger Gutierrez, of Houston, Texas, takes photographs from an overlook at Lone Pine State Park on March 4. The state bed tax is one revenue stream that helps fund operations at Montana’s state parks. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake FILE)
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting a friendly competition at state parks in the Flathead Valley to encourage a healthy start to the new year outdoors.
Recreationists are encouraged to participate in the second annual “Battle of the Boots” and log their miles at Lone Pine State Park in Kalispell or Flathead Lake State Parks (Wayfarers, West Shore, and Big Arm units) in the month of January.
Every time you hike, snowshoe, fat-tire bike, sled, or cross-country ski at one of these parks’ trails, log your miles at the trailhead to help lead your park to victory. At the end of the month, the participants with the most miles from each park will receive a prize.
The park with the most overall miles will also be crowned champion. The competition will kick off Jan. 1and conclude Jan. 31.
Last year hikers at Flathead Lake State Park led the park to victory with most miles logged overall.
First Day Hikes will also occur across the state to celebrate the new year outdoors. To celebrate this 30-year national tradition, the Battle of the Boots participants with the most miles logged on January 1 at the participating parks will receive prizes as well.
Share photos from your hikes and tag the park for a feature on the parks’ Facebook and Instagram accounts.
For more information, call the Lone Pine State Park visitor center at (406) 755-2706, ext. 0, or Flathead Lake State Parks Ranger Station at (406) 837-3041, ext. 0.
Lone Pine State Park is located 5 miles southwest of Kalispell and offers one of the most vivid views of the valley, 7.5 miles of trails, and a beautiful interpretive center that provides information on living in a wildlife urban interface.
Flathead Lake State Park consists of six unique park units located around Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The park units on the east side are Wayfarers, Yellow Bay and Finley Point and the west side units are West Shore, Big Arm and Wild Horse Island.