By Ciara Wolfe BSCO Executive Director
Kircher Trail is the perfect pit stop when walking or biking through Big Sky’s Meadow Village. Easily accessed from both Meadow Village and Town Center, this ½-mile out-and-back trail provides a wonderful nature walk.
Kircher Trail spurs off the asphalt-surfaced Lone Peak Trail near the intersection of Lone Mountain Trail and Little Coyote Road. From this intersection, there’s a moderately steep embankment on the natural surface trail to the small, secluded sanctuary of an open-space park.
New this summer, there’s a ¼-mile extension that loops through the park from its starting point on the embankment of the South Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River. Enjoy a casual walk by the river, stop to have a picnic, or bring your fly rod and cast some dry flies to test your fishing abilities on the small and abundant trout in this tributary of the Gallatin River.
There is no parking at the head of Kircher Trail, so it’s best to park in either Meadow Village or Town Center and access it via Lone Peak Trail. With such close proximity to stores and restaurants in Meadow Village, this trail and park are an excellent option to share some of Big Sky’s beauty with children, pets or guests after a nice meal or checking out a local shop.
For more information about Big Sky’s parks, trails and recreation programs, visit bscomt.org. The Big Sky Community Organization is a local nonprofit that connects people to recreational opportunities by acquiring, promoting and preserving sustainable places and programs for all.
Trail stats
Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Difficulty: easy
Elevation gain: 150 feet
Surface: natural surface
Uses: walk
Directions: From Meadow Village, head south toward Lone Mountain Trail. Cross at the flashing lights and crosswalks and continue south to Kircher Trail. From Town Center, get on Lone Peak Trail, which runs parallel to Lone Mountain Trail. From Lone Peak Trail, Kircher Trail can be found about ½ a mile east (depending on your access point) on the right-hand side.
