Bozeman Magazine

To celebrate the completion of the new Mountain Range Finder and Medicine Wheel installation, the City of Bozeman and Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) are inviting the community to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 18, at 4 p.m. at the southern end of Burke Park, commonly known as “Peets Hill.”

Following brief remarks from City of Bozeman Mayor Terry Cunningham; Dr. Shane Doyle, Apsáalooke (Crow); and GVLT Associate Director EJ Porth, community members will be invited to explore the installation.

“This installation was designed to connect people to place,” explains GVLT Associate Director EJ Porth. “We are excited to offer Burke Park visitors a space to gather with friends, take in the best views in town, orient themselves to the landscape, or enjoy a moment of quiet reflection.”

Upon entering the installation, visitors will discover how to identify surrounding peaks and mountain ranges using the metal backrests on the circle of stone benches. Interpretive signage provides information about how Native American tribes used the Medicine Wheel, and plaques set in an outer ring of concrete indicate the names and locations of the eight treaty lands in Montana.

The opening of the installation marks the completion of several Burke Park improvements included in the successful initiative to add 12 acres to the southern end of the park made possible by a decades-long partnership between the City of Bozeman and GVLT, and the community’s overwhelming support. Other improvements have included building two new scenic overlooks, extending the Chris Boyd Memorial Trail down to Church Avenue, and upgrading the walking loop at the top of Burke Park to an all-abilities trail.

“Peets Hill has long been an iconic and beloved cornerstone of Bozeman, so when the opportunity to protect these 12 acres arose, we were excited to partner with GVLT and the community to keep this land open to all,” Mayor Cunningham stated. “This is a proud moment for Bozeman and a fitting way to recognize our shared connection to the land.”

The installation was built and installed by Valley of the Flowers Landscaping, Design 5 Landscape Architecture, and MFGR Designs.

How to Get There
To get to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, community members are encouraged to use the trails so they can help avoid parking constraints, while also logging miles for GVLT’s annual Summer Trails Challenge. GVLT has set its biggest goal ever this year—90,000 miles for $90,000. Every mile logged on gvlt.org/challenge by June 27 unlocks $1 from the Sponsor Match Pool created by generous local businesses. All funds will go directly to continued expansion and enhancement of community trails.