We have all heard the dentist tell us of the importance of fluoride. Many wonder what fluoride is exactly and if they are getting enough of it. This article will shed some light on those questions and help you understand its importance.

What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that is found in the material of your bones and your teeth. It can be found in foods, water sources, and also naturally in the environment. The outermost layers of your teeth are called the enamel. The enamel acts as a protective layer and according to the American Dental Association, is the hardest substance in your body.

Each and every day your teeth are bombarded by acids created by sugars and plaque. This negative process is called demineralization. One way to help repair the damage caused is to expose your enamel to minerals (remineralization) such as fluoride, calcium, and phosphate. If remineralization is lacking, your enamel layer weakens and begins to decay.

Where is fluoride found?
As mentioned before, fluoride naturally occurs in your environment including places such as:

• In the soil
• Water
• Plantlife
• Rocks
• Air

It can also be found in some not-so-natural places:

• Toothpaste
• Mouth wash
• In supplemental form
• Cleaning products
• Pesticides

Fluoride is also found in some of the foods you eat.

Am I Getting Enough Fluoride?
A study that took place in 2015 and was published by Cochrane showed the importance of introducing fluoride into public drinking water. In the study, results showed 35 percent fewer cavities and tooth loss due to decay in children whose water was fluoridated.

According to Colgate, if the water you consume has fluoride in it and you brush regularly with toothpaste that contains fluoride, you are getting a sufficient amount daily. You can also add a mouth rinse containing fluoride to your oral hygiene regimen.

Typically, public water supplies contain fluoride but you can contact your water company to find out for sure. If you do not reside in an area where the public water is fluoridated, does not have the recommended amount of 1 part per million, or your water supply comes from well water, your dental provider may prescribe drops or tablets to supplement your intake.

More than likely, at some point during one of your dental visits, your doctor will administer a preventative fluoride treatment by painting a gel or varnish-like substance across your teeth. There are also foam treatments that are placed into a mouth tray and held in your mouth for up to four minutes.

When is fluoride most crucial?
All stages of tooth development must have ample fluoride exposure. From around six months of age to sixteen years of age, your teeth are developing. Children benefit from fluoride because it helps make their primary teeth stronger and more cavity resistant.

Twice a year at their dental appointments, your child will likely receive a fluoride treatment to help give them the necessary exposure. You may also be given drops or tablets if your child does not get enough fluoride through your water source. These supplements will help harden new teeth as well as teeth that have yet to emerge.

It is just as important for teens to get their fluoride too. With permanent teeth replacing baby teeth, maintaining good oral hygiene is necessary to keep teeth strong and protected. As they make their way into adulthood, good dental care habits will become ingrained and the fluoride exposure will continue to combat decay.

Special Cases
While everyone gets an optimal level of fluoride, some people should be especially proactive about their amount of exposure. People who fit into one of the following situations may benefit from additional treatments:

• Dry Mouth- Also called xerostomia, dry mouth is a condition where there is a lack of healthy saliva. This is an issue because saliva helps rinse away food particles and neutralizes acids which leave your teeth more vulnerable to decay. Dry mouth can be caused by certain medications, aging, radiation therapy, or a condition that directly involves the salivary glands.

• Periodontitis- Periodontitis is a disease that affects your gums exposing a larger area of your tooth, sometimes down to the root. Since more area is exposed, there is a greater chance of decay.

• Dental History-If you tend to get a cavity every year or two, additional fluoride treatments may help you maintain stronger teeth and deter decaying.

• Mouth Appliances- People who frequently wear mouth guards, have bridges or crowns, or wear braces are at a higher risk for decay. This is because areas of enamel that come in contact with the appliances are notoriously difficult to efficiently clean.

What to do if you are already experiencing decay?
If you already have progressed into stages of decay, you do have options. Biomimetic dentistry uses a material that imitates the natural biological structure and function of your teeth. It is used to perform reconstruction on teeth that have been damaged. According to Cosmetic Dentist expert, Dr. Marc Lazare, teeth that are weakened, decayed, or broken can be repaired and protected through biomimetic dentistry applications.

Structurally weak teeth can be made durable by using a fibered mesh material that helps spread the force experienced by the tooth during activities such as eating. It is a less invasive way to save as much of your actual tooth while helping prevent cracking and protecting it from bacterial invasion.

Fluoride is an important part of your oral hygiene regimen no matter what phase of your life you happen to be in. Making sure you are getting enough can keep your teeth strong and protected from acid-causing bacteria. If you are experiencing dental issues, reach out to your dental health provider and ask about your options. Biomimetic dentistry can give you a more natural method to get you a beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime.

The Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture and the Downtown Bozeman Association are looking for an artist to create the 2019 Christmas Stroll poster!

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year, $10.7 million grant to the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity at Montana State University, or CAIRHE, to continue its mission to reduce health disparities in Native and rural communities through community-based participatory research.

Founded in 2014, the center concluded its first five-year Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence grant from the NIH earlier this year. Following a competitive renewal process, CAIRHE received its latest five-year grant effective Sept. 1.

Dr. Alexandra Adams, the center’s director and principal investigator, said CAIRHE has become a major contributor to health equity research in the state in a short time.

“The public health challenges in rural and Native communities across our state are too much for any one entity to address,” she said. “Working with our partner communities, CAIRHE can act as a hub to bring stakeholders together for lasting change and positive health outcomes.”

In its first five years, the center has built a multidisciplinary network of researchers, faculty mentors and students that spans five colleges and half a dozen departments at MSU, Adams said. In addition to funding multiple faculty research projects and smaller pilot projects, CAIRHE mentors its junior faculty investigators to become independently funded researchers who hold the highest level of grant funding from the NIH or other national grant-awarding agencies, she added.

In the past year, CAIRHE founded the Translational Biomarkers Core Lab in MSU’s Health Sciences Building, providing state-of-the-art services to assess a wide range of biomarkers related to public health research, including inflammation, oxidative stress, hormones and nutrition analytes. The center also introduced the Health Education and Research Bus, or HERB, a 25-foot RV customized as a mobile laboratory for health equity research and outreach in Montana’s remote areas.

Both the Translational Biomarkers Core and HERB are available to other MSU researchers as part of the university’s growing research infrastructure, Adams said.

“Both facilities are unique at MSU and are among the many ways that CAIRHE hopes to distinguish itself over the next five years,” she said.

CAIRHE has cultivated a statewide and national network of research partners across the public health spectrum — from communities to health providers and other stakeholders — which it calls the Health Equity Network. One notable outcome of that collaboration is CAIRHE’s recent participation in a special report, “C2H2: Impacts of Montana’s Changing Climate on Human Health,” being produced by more than 40 partners for release in the summer of 2020.

Big Sky, Mont. (October 14, 2019) –  With a fresh blanket of snow across Montana, skiers and riders headed to Big Sky Resort via Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) will find expanded air service from several cities this winter. BZN has recently announced increased air service that will take effect for the 2019-2020 winter season, through summer 2020.

Additional Air Service for Winter 2019-2020
To better serve skiers and riders eyeing the slopes this season, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport will offer a 12.9% increase in total seats available. Among the most notable increases are additional flights to Seattle, Chicago, and Detroit. Delta Air Lines will add twice daily service from Seattle (SEA) beginning in January 2020, increasing overall flights offered to Seattle by 84% for a total of seven daily flights between Alaska and Delta Air Lines. American Airlines will add daily flights from Chicago (ORD), increasing the total number of American flights to Chicago by 332%. Delta Air Lines will also increase Detroit (DTW) service this winter by offering flights between December and March this season, a 900% increase in seats year over year.

Additional Air Service for Summer 2020
American Airlines will introduce non-stop seasonal service to three additional destinations for the summer of 2020.  In addition to year-round daily service to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and winter and summer daily service to Chicago (ORD), American will add daily summer service to Los Angeles (LAX), Saturday summer service to New York (LGA) and Montana’s first service to the state of Pennsylvania with Saturday summer service to Philadelphia (PHL). 

With direct flights to 16 cities in the winter, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is the most well-served ski destination across the United States. During the winter season, the airport offers 13 daily non-stop flights to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. In the summer season, air service increases and BZN offers direct non-stop flights to 18 destinations.

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is located just 50 miles from Big Sky Resort, one of the fastest growing ski destinations in North America and home to 5,850 acres of terrain, 4,350 feet of vertical, and 300 degrees of skiing off Lone Peak.

October is amazing in Bozeman! There are a lot of fun fall activities happening featuring autumn themes and of course, Halloween! We've compiled a huge list for you so you don't have to dig for them all. Tell them Bozeman Magazine told ya so!

Bozeman Straw Bale Maze
    •    1340 E Valley Center Road, Bozeman, MT
    •    Call (406) 388-7818
    •    Open October 2nd - October 27th, 2019
    •    Wednesdays:6:00pm - 9:00pm
    •    Fridays:5:00pm - 9:00pm
    •    Saturdays:10:00am - 9:00pm
    •    Sundays:12:00pm - 6:00pm 
    •    Sat. Oct. 12 10am-2pm

Montana Corn Maze
4605 W Cameron Bridge Rd, Manhattan, MT
    •    Ticket Prices: $8 -- Ages 12 and up, $6 -- Ages 4-11
    •    FREE for ages 3 and under
    •    Cash and credit card are accepted
    •    October - Fridays 5:00 pm-8:00 pm
    •    October - Saturdays 11:00 am-8:00 pm
    •    Saturday, October 26: regular maze tickets will be sold from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm. The maze will be emptied at 5:15 pm in preparation for the haunted maze.

Halloween Happenings/Kids Day
Goodwill 2130 Simmental Way, Bozeman and 6161 Jackrabbit Ln, Belgrade
    •    Saturday, October 12
    •    1 PM – 4 PM
Special Halloween activities, games, treats and fun! Enter to win a four-pack of tickets to the Addams Family movie!

Sunset Hills Cemetary Tour
Sunset Hills Cemetary 
   •   Fri. Oct. 18 7pm & Sat. Oct. 19 9pm 
   •   All Ages
Learn all about Bozeman’s founders and those who are spending their eternal rest in the Sunset Hills Cemetery at the tour put on by the Bozeman Paranormal Society. Sunset Hills Cemetery is educational on a regular day, but during a Halloween tour? It’s sure to be shocking.

Kenyon Noble's 21st Annual Junior Carpenter Pumpkin Carving Contest
Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston Kenyon Noble locations
•     Sat. Oct. 19 11am-1pm
•     Cost: FREE
•     All Ages
Bring your family & friends to spend a fun-filled afternoon carving pumpkins with us. Pick a free pumpkin of your choice, carve your little hearts out and try to win some super cool prizes! Located at Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston Kenyon Noble locations.

Anderson School Haunted House "Forest of Terror"  
At the Little Red School House, south of Huffine Lane on Cottonwood Road
   •    Friday, October 25th & Saturday, October 26th, 2019
    •    10030 Cottonwood Rd, Bozeman
    •    Lights ON: 5:30pm - 6:30pm for $5
    •    Lights OFF: 7pm - 10pm
    •    Fast Pass: $15, Skip The Line: $30
For over 20 years the 8th grade class at Anderson school has been scaring the residents of Bozeman with their sensational haunted house. Each year is grander, scarier and more exciting than the year before. Don't miss this years event!!!

Pumpkins in the Pool
Bozeman Swim Center
•  Friday, October 25th 2019 6:15pm-8:30pm
•  Daily Admission fee of $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for youth and seniors, or $10 for a family.
No tricks, just treats! Bring a friend and come on down to the Bozeman Swim Center for some spooky fun! We will have pumpkins in the pool, Halloween music playing, and treats to take home after your swim. *while supplies last. The inflatable toy will also be in the water! Don’t miss out on this fun event!

Run for your Life 5k & Kids Run  
Bobcat Stadium 1 Bobcat Circle, Bozeman
     •     Sat. Oct. 26 9am
     •     Cost: $25 adults, $15 youth, $10 kids
    •     Age: All Ages
A fun race to help a deep purpose!

3rd Annual Haunted Peaks Halloween Festival
Big Sky Town Center Ousel Falls Road, Big Sky
   •    Oct. 26 noon-8pm Sat.
   •    Cost: FREE
This all ages event is filled with traditional holiday activities, live music and great Fall fun.

Halloween Skate
Haynes Pavilion and the Ice Barn located at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds 901 North Black Avenue, Bozeman
   •   Sat. Oct. 26 noon-2pm
   •   Cost: Ages 13 and older: $5 Ages 6-12: $3 Ages 5 and under: FREE
One day a year just isn't enough to show off your prized Halloween costume. Bring the whole family to this public skating event to enjoy ghostly tunes in a fun/safe environment.

Boo Bash at YMCA
Gallatin Valley YMCA 3673 Love Lane, Bozeman
    •   Sat. Oct. 26  1pm
    •   Cost: Free
    •   Age: All Ages
At this Halloween party and community event do the monster mash in costume with activities like arts and crafts, bounce houses, family-friendly tunes and sweet treats.

Family Grossology Halloween Party
Museum of the Rockies 600 West Kagy Boulevard, Bozeman
   •   Sat. Oct. 26 2-5pm
   •   Cost: Included with admission
   •   Age: All Ages
Come in costume to see disgusting science, make some icky crafts, and check out what your scabs look like on the big screen. Spooky stories and goody bags.

QUARANTINE at Story Mill
Story Mill 888 Hillside LN, Bozeman
   •  Sat. Oct. 26  4pm-11pm
   •   Cost: $25-$30
   •   Age: 18+
Moonlight Productions presents QUARANTINE at Story Mill - Bozeman's largest EDM Halloween party! 18 DJ's / 2 Stages / Food Vendors / Art Installations / Full Bar with ID

Haunted Mountain Theater
Museum of the Rockies 600 West Kagy Boulevard, Bozeman
   •   Sat. Oct. 26  6-7pm
   •   Cost: $9-$13
   •   Age: Age 10+
We will bring the Northern Rocky Mountains’ spookier history & folklore to life through an approximately 50-minute production that blends live-theater with the Taylor Planetarium.

Ballroom Dance Bozeman presents Ghouls’ Night Out
Bozeman Senior Center  807 N. Tracy Ave
     •   Sat. Oct. 26   7-10pm
     •   Cost: General Public $15; Ballroom Dance Bozeman members free
     •   All Ages
Music by John Fox Sound. Singles and Couples welcome. Suggested attire is a costume or dressy casual; remember clean dance shoes. Bring a favorite snack to share, if you wish.

9th annual Mollyween
The Molly Brown 703 W. Babcock, Bozeman
   •  Sat. Oct. 26  9pm-1am  
   •   Cost: no cover
   •   Age: 21+
This is a free show with The Hawthorne Roots and Left On Tenth & a kick-ass costume contest.

Bozeman Health Trick or Treat
Bozeman Health 915 Highland Boulevard, Bozeman
   •   Thu. Oct. 31  3-5pm
   •   Cost: FREE
   •   Age: all ages
Stay warm this Halloween in our all-ages haunted hallway! Candy & non-food treats. Park in Lot C.

Trick or Treating in Town Center
Big Sky Town Center Ousel Falls Road, Big Sky
   •   Thu. Oct. 31  3-5pm
   •   Cost: FREE
Grab your kiddos and head to the Town Center for an afternoon of trick or treating at our local Big Sky businesses.

Downtown Bozeman Trick or Treating 2019
    •    Thursday, October 31, 2019
    •    4 PM – 6PM
    •    East Main St, Bozeman, Montana
Over 150 businesses welcome kids and families with candy and Halloween decorations

Trick-or-Treating at the Gallatin Valley Mall  
Gallatin Valley Mall 2825 West Main St., Bozeman
   •  Thursday, October 31, 2019
   •   5-7pm
   •   Age: All Ages
Trick-or-Treating is great in Montana when you can do it inside, which is why so many families head over to the mall for an evening of fun. This community event brings together all the fun of Halloween under one roof.

Harvest Carnival
Gallatin County Fairgrounds Indoor Arena 901 N. Black Ave, Bozeman
   •   Thu. Oct. 31  6-8pm
   •   Cost: FREE
   •   Age: 3-14
Come one, come all to the Gallatin County Fairgrounds this Halloween for a family friendly night benefiting Haven Shelter! This fun event is free for the whole family.

Rocky Horror Picture Show + Dinner
   •   Thu. Oct. 31  6 & 8:30pm
   •   Cost: $60 for show and 3 course dinner
It's that time of year! Tickets now available for purchase online at plonkwine.com. Trick or treat! Dine, drink... take a strange journey... Halloween night! Thurs, OCT 31st. A Verge Theater production, the Rocky Horror Picture Show!!!

The Bacchus Halloween Bash
•   Thu. Oct. 31 8 pm-close
•  No cover. 21+
Come get spooky for Halloween at The Bacchus! Hosting costume contests with prizes awarded all night and serving some festive $3 beer, $4 shot and $5 cocktail specials. Dance the night away with special guest DJ Missy O'Malley from 9pm to close!

Dead Sky HalloWEEN: A Tribute to Ween
The Filling Station 2005 N. Rouse Ave, Bozeman
   •   Thu. Oct. 31  9pm
   •   Cost: Advance: $9, Door: $12
   •   Age: 21+
Dead Sky will be getting weird with a HalloWEEN tribute show.

We continue to add to this list as more events are announced.

Disney Store “Shop-in-Shop” Launches Online and in 25 Target Stores Nationwide Today
 
WHAT: The launch of Disney store at Target in 25 select Target locations nationwide to help bring the magic of Disney to the joy of shopping at Target.
 
Guests can now shop from an enhanced Disney assortment of more than 450 items, including more than 100 products that were previously only available at Disney retail locations. Just in time for the Triple #ForceFriday and Frozen Fan Fest celebrations, the “shop-in-shop” features newly unveiled Disney merchandise from Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Target will offer more than 100 exclusive products from these highly anticipated theatrical releases, due in theaters later this year.

To celebrate the grand openings, the first 250 guests that visit the 25 store locations will receive a Disney store at Target limited-edition canvas tote bag.* In addition, guests are invited to share their favorite Star Wars and Frozen memories on their social channels using the hashtags #ShareTheForce and #ThePowerWithin and tagging @Target.

“We’ve brought the magic of Disney to Target, bringing together great merchandise amidst an experience that’s truly immersive and unique,” said Mark Tritton, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “Guests will be able connect with the Disney characters and stories they love in a meaningful way, while accessing the latest and greatest Disney products, including items previously only available at Disney retail locations.”

Disney store at Target is replicated online at Target.com/Disneystore and in the Target app, available for download on iOS and Android. The new online experience serves as a hub for the Disney stories and characters guests love, all in one place. The majority of products available at Disney store at Target retail locations are also available online.

Items range in price from $2 - $200, with many items under $20.
 
WHEN: Starting Friday, Oct. 4, 2019 at 7 a.m. MDT
 
WHERE: Disney store at Target is now open in the following 25 Target stores:
    •    Allen North #2516 (Allen, Texas)
    ◦    150 E Stacy Rd, Ste 2400
    •    Austin NW #1797 (Austin, Texas)
    ◦    10900 Lakeline Mall Dr
    •    Bozeman #1237 (Bozeman, Mont.)
    ◦    2550 Catron St
    •    Brighton #922 (Brighton, Mich.)
    ◦    8043 Challis Rd
    •    Chicago Brickyard #1924 (Chicago, Ill.)
    ◦    6525 W Diversey Ave
    •    Clearwater #1820 (Clearwater, Fla.)
    ◦    2747 Gulf To Bay Blvd
    •    Denver Stapleton #2052 (Denver, Colo.)
    ◦    7930 Northfield Blvd
    •    Edmond #1398 (Edmond, Okla.)
    ◦    1200 E 2nd St
    •    Euless #1368 (Euless, Texas)
    ◦    1401 W Glade Rd
    •    Houston North Central #1458 (Spring, Texas)
    ◦    19511 I H 45
    •    Jacksonville Mandarin #1300 (Jacksonville, Fla.)
    ◦    10490 San Jose Blvd
    •    Keizer #2110 (Keizer, Ore.)
    ◦    6450 Keizer Station Blvd NE
    •    Lake Stevens #1331 (Lake Stevens, Wash.)
    ◦    9601 Market Pl
    •    Leesburg #1874 (Leesburg, Va.)
    ◦    1200 Edwards Ferry Rd
    •    Loveland #1178 (Loveland, Colo.)
    ◦    1725 Rocky Mountain Ave
    •    Maple Grove North #2193 (Maple Grove, Minn.)
    ◦    15300 Grove Circle N
    •    Mobile West #1376 (Mobile, Ala.)
    ◦    790 Schillinger Rd S
    •    Murrieta #1283 (Murrieta, Calif.)
    ◦    41040 California Oaks Rd
    •    New Lenox #2028 (New Lenox, Ill.)
    ◦    2370 E Lincoln Hwy
    •    Pasadena #1396 (Pasadena, Texas)
    ◦    5757 Fairmont Pkwy
    •    Philadelphia West #2124 (Philadelphia, Pa.)
    ◦    4000 Monument Rd
    •    San Jose College Park #2088 (San Jose, Calif.)
    ◦    533 Coleman Ave
    •    South Jordan #2123 (South Jordan, Utah)
    ◦    11525 Parkway Plaza Dr
    •    Stroudsburg #1260 (Stroudsburg, Pa.)
    ◦    155 Pocono Commons
    •    Waterford Park #2068 (Clarksville, Ind.)
    ◦    1125 Veterans Pkwy

This week, more than 200 Rocky Mountain business leaders from New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana released open letters to their congressional delegations calling on Congress to provide full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In the letters, the business owners urged legislators representing the Rocky Mountain West to lead their colleagues in the House and Senate in passing legislation that would stop Congress from diverting funding away from public lands.

LWCF functions as a bank account for public lands, using revenues the federal government receives from offshore oil and gas leasing to invest in resources like parks, playgrounds, and trails. The program was made permanent with passage of a public lands law known as the Dingell Act this March, but funding remains subject to the whims of Congress during the annual appropriations process. Almost every year, Congress uses some of the funds set aside for LWCF for other purposes. More than $22 billion has been diverted from LWCF over its 55-year lifespan.

“While permanent reauthorization of LWCF was an important step forward,” wrote the business owners, “the Dingell Act didn’t include any provision for a dedicated funding stream for LWCF – and a fund with no funding isn’t the victory our public lands deserve.”

The business leaders represent a wide swath of industries and rural and urban communities alike. Some run well-known companies like Golden, Colorado’s AC Golden Brewing (a subsidiary of MillerCoors), while others are restaurant owners, self-employed web designers, and medical professionals. Mary Johnston, Executive Director of the Anaconda Chamber of Commerce in western Montana, explained why LWCF funding is important to businesses that aren’t directly tied to the outdoor recreation economy.

“LWCF makes a big difference in local communities and improves our quality of life,” said Johnston. “Anaconda has used these funds to support projects including paving our Lower Works Trail to make it accessible to more people, building our skate park, and rebuilding the tennis courts.”
 
The business owners released the letters soon after the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee proposed to fund LWCF at just $465 million in 2020. That’s less than the House’s proposed number of $524 million, and barely more than half of the $900 million that the fund is supposed to receive each year.

In the letters, the business leaders call on their members of Congress to champion legislation guaranteeing funding for LWCF at the $900 million level, which would prevent Congress from continuing to divert funds away from the program. This legislation was introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives earlier this year, including all six of the Senators representing these states, but has not yet been voted on. As members of the majority party in the Senate, Colorado Senator Cory Gardner and Montana Senator Steve Daines have a critical role to play in ensuring that the legislation does indeed make it past the Senate floor.

“When Congress created LWCF, they made a promise to the American people that money from oil and gas drilling would be used to protect public lands for all of us,” said Patrick Webber, co-founder of Denver-based Fourpoints Bar. “We need Congress to follow through on its commitment by prioritizing our public lands through the LWCF.”

You can read the full letters and see the lists of signatories online for New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana.
 
About the Continental Divide Trail
The CDT is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 180 miles are still in need of protection.

 
About the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
The CDTC was founded in 2012 by volunteers and recreationists hoping to provide a unified voice for the Trail. Working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land management agencies, the CDTC is a non-profit organization supporting stewardship of the CDT. The mission of the CDTC is to complete, promote and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, a world-class national resource. For more information, please visit continentaldividetrail.org.

Recreationists now have an additional 160 acres to enjoy when visiting the Mt. Haggin Wildlife Management Area south of Anaconda. 

The new parcel lies along the north-central boundary of the WMA. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently partnered with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to purchase the parcel from a landowner wishing to see the property go into public ownership. The purchase received support from local conservation groups, Deer Lodge County commissioners, and several local sportsmen and women. 

FWP closed on the sale on Sept. 19. The property is now open to the public. 

Mt. Haggin is Montana’s largest wildlife management area at 65,000 acres. The WMA spans the Continental Divide, providing quality wildlife habitat in both summer and winter ranges, as well as migration corridors. The WMA also provides excellent fishing opportunities. 

While the recent addition is relatively small compared to the rest of the property, it brings valuable wildlife habitat into public ownership. 

“This new parcel will provide additional year-round recreation for the public in an area with excellent wildlife and fish habitat,” said Vanna Boccadori, FWP’s Butte Area wildlife biologist.  

Motorized access to the new parcel will be closed from May 15 to Dec. 1. Cross-country snowmobile travel will be allowed outside of the closure, consistent with existing regulations on the adjacent portion of the WMA east of the Continental Divide.