Bozeman Magazine

Region 3 state parks to host hiking and orienteering puzzle An orienteering challenge with a twist THREE FORKS – Montana State Parks will host their first ever hiking and orienteering puzzle, or HOP, on Saturday, Sept. 25, beginning at Missouri Headwaters State Park. This event will allow participants to explore some of the lesser-seen sides of state parks while polishing their wayfinding skills. The HOP is an orienteering competition that will challenge the way you think of your local wild spaces. Starting at Missouri Headwaters State Park for a quick orientation, competitors will then be sent to other parks in the region where the course is hiding. Teams will race through the checkpoints with maps and compasses in hand, trying to find the quickest route to each. There’s a catch, however. At each checkpoint, there will be a riddle or puzzle to solve in order to collect a stamp. These stamps will be worth a range of points, so each team will have to carefully plan which route to take. Starting at 8 a.m. and exploring the course until 6 p.m., the team with the most points by the end of the day wins. Each team must be made up of four to six participants that are 12 years of age or older. A single team registration is $125. To register or receive additional information, please email event coordinator Emily Dickerson at Emily.Dickerson@mt.gov with the number of team members as well as the team leader’s name and phone number. After scheduling a call, she will take your payment by phone. Refunds will not be available after purchase. Check out this video on YouTube to learn more and get a feel for the event: https://youtu.be/-H3vMKTcuxI.