Northern Rockies BRINGING THE OUTDOORS CLOSER TO HOME IN 2026 AND BEYOND
Connecting Everyone to the Outdoors in the Northern Rockies This past year, I’ve visited many nooks and crannies of the Northern Rockies—from the cold, deep waters of Flathead Lake and the grandeur of the austere Rocky Mountain Front, to the dramatic spires of the Sawtooth Mountains and the broad Snake River Plateau, to the wild mosaic of peaks that cradle the Yellowstone Caldera. Whether I’m working or adventuring, I always feel extremely fortunate to call this place home. Throughout my travels, I’m constantly reminded that access to nature isn’t a luxury; it’s essential to the health of our bodies and minds, to the fabric of rural communities, and to something deeper—a sense of wonder and belonging that is difficult to describe but impossible to overlook. You make it possible for Trust for Public Land to protect and create community-centered outdoor spaces that improve health and wellness, increase climate resilience, and bolster social connections. You help TPL advance this important work through on-the-ground project delivery in the Northern Rockies and comprehensive systems change across the country. And I couldn’t be more grateful for your support—let me tell you why. This last year, our best-in-show Large Landscape Conservation team blanketed 75,000 acres of land with conservation easements in Montana and Idaho, ensuring public access to hunting and fishing in perpetuity; advanced conservation of critical wildlife and wetland habitat; and protected clean drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents in downstream communities.
We received 10 acres of land outside of Driggs, Idaho, which we are transforming into a trailhead with access to thousands of acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. And we broke ground on our signature Yellowstone Heritage Trail, a rail trail that will stretch 61 miles from Livingston, Montana, to Yellowstone National Park. Our signature Northern Rockies programs, Large Landscape Conservation and Thriving Communities, reflect our guiding principles as a team and organization: the shared commitment to support people and the places that matter most to them. As we celebrate all we have accomplished, there is more work to be done. The need for equitable access to nature continues to grow, and so do the challenges and opportunities facing our health, climate, and communities. With your continued support, we can rise to meet this moment. Thank you for joining us as we work to connect everyone to the outdoors. With gratitude, David Weinstein Associate Vice President Northern Rockies Director
David Weinstein. PHOTO BY CARY JOHNSON
Thriving Communities Building the Infrastructure of Connection
Trails. Schoolyards. Parks. Nature-rich public spaces. These essential community amenities build the infrastructure of connection—the places where neighbors meet, children build confidence, traditions are shared, and communities strengthen the relationships that help them weather change. Rural communities have long been defined by volunteerism, civic engagement, and neighbors helping neighbors. But those qualities don’t sustain themselves. They depend on places that bring people together and create opportunities for shared experiences. As communities evolve, welcoming gathering places become more important than ever. That’s why TPL is investing in Thriving Communities, a growing effort that helps rural communities create close-to-home outdoor spaces that support health, strengthen local economies, foster belonging, and build a foundation for future generations. From trails and schoolyards to technical assistance and community partnerships, Thriving Communities is helping rural towns build the future they envision for themselves. Today, that vision is taking shape across the Northern Rockies—from Paradise Valley to Teton Valley and 4 |
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Thriving Communities is about more than parks and trails. What is the larger vision? Rural communities want to remain places where people know their neighbors, feel connected, and take pride in where they live. But many communities are facing real pressures—from rapid growth and rising housing costs to economic transition and social isolation. Thriving Communities is about helping those communities invest in the places that bring people together and strengthen quality of life. Why are parks, trails, and schoolyards such powerful tools? Because they create connection. A trail isn’t just an outdoor path—it becomes a place where neighbors see each other every day. A schoolyard isn’t just a playground—it can become the heart of community life. These places encourage people to gather, spend time outdoors, and build relationships that make communities stronger and more resilient. What excites you most about the future of this work? There is tremendous opportunity across the Northern Rockies. Communities already know what they want for their future. Often, they simply need a partner to help bring those ideas to life. Through collaboration, technical assistance, schoolyards, and trail systems, we’re helping communities create places that will serve local families for decades to come.
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OR JP ESY O F E OURT
We Asked Thriving Communities Director EJ Porth How We Are Helping Communities Shape Their Own Future
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Trust for Public Land believes the answer often begins with something surprisingly simple: places where people can gather, play, learn, explore, and belong.
SPOTLIGHT:
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Some are growing quickly as new residents arrive in search of the region’s extraordinary landscapes, quality of life, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Others are navigating economic transition, population loss, and increasing social isolation. Yet whether a community is experiencing rapid growth or gradual decline, many face the same challenge: how do our communities maintain the strong connections that make rural places special?
beyond. Together, these projects represent an exciting new chapter in our collective work: one focused not only on the landscapes that surround communities, but on the connections that hold them together.
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Across the Northern Rockies, rural communities are changing.
From Vision to Momentum: The Yellowstone Heritage Trail In Paradise Valley, just north of Yellowstone National Park, residents and visitors have long shared a frustrating reality: despite being surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery in America, there are few safe places to walk, bike, or connect with nearby communities without getting in a car.
Yellowstone Heritage Trail. PHOTO BY DANIEL ANDERSON
came together to close a significant funding gap and move the project from vision to reality. With construction now underway, planning for the next phase of trail development is already in progress.
That reality is beginning to change. This year, TPL celebrated a major milestone in the Yellowstone Heritage Trail project when construction began on a critical 3-mile segment in Emigrant—the future home of the community’s first park and trail. The project is the result of years of planning, partnership building, fundraising, and community engagement, and it marks an important step toward a larger vision: a 61-mile trail connecting Livingston and Mammoth Hot Springs through the heart of Paradise Valley. The Yellowstone Heritage Trail will create safe opportunities for walking, biking, and outdoor recreation while strengthening connections between local communities, businesses, cultural sites, and Yellowstone National Park itself. When complete, it will become part of the Great American Rail-Trail, an effort led by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy which is helping to connect one of the country’s most iconic landscapes to a coast-to-coast trail network. Perhaps most exciting is the momentum this project has generated. Donors, partners, and community supporters
STORY MILL SPLASH PAD OPENS! One of Bozeman’s most beloved community parks just got even better. This summer, families celebrated the opening of Story Mill Community Park’s new splash pad, marking the completion of the park’s final major amenity. Since opening, Story Mill has become a vibrant gathering place where children play, families connect, and community life flourishes. Every laugh, splash, and shared moment is a reminder of the lasting impact your support has on the Bozeman community.
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What’s Next for Thriving Communities? Community Accelerator Program Not every community needs TPL to lead a project. Sometimes communities simply need support navigating funding opportunities, planning processes, or partnership development. Through the Community Accelerator Program, TPL is partnering with organizations across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to learn more about the needs of communities pursuing parks, trails, and outdoor recreation projects.
MacArthur Lake WMA, North Idaho. PHOTO BY RANDY BEACHAM
The Yellowstone Heritage Trail demonstrates what’s possible when a community has a vision and the support needed to bring it to life. And across the Northern Rockies, other communities are ready to write similar stories of their own. Through Thriving Communities, TPL is helping turn those ambitions into enduring places that bring people together.
Community Schoolyards Schools have always been at the center of rural community life. They host celebrations, sporting events, community meetings, and countless shared memories. Through our community schoolyards initiative, TPL is helping schools become even more welcoming and vibrant places for learning, playing, gathering, and connecting. One of the most exciting examples is the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Schoolyard in De Smet, Idaho. Now entering phase II of construction, the project is transforming the school grounds into a space that celebrates Indigenous culture, intergenerational learning, and community pride. Planned features include a tipi classroom, cultural gathering spaces, restored native landscapes, and opportunities for youth and elders to learn together through storytelling, art, language, and traditional practices. 6 |
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By supporting training opportunities and engaging local leaders, TPL is identifying ways to expand technical assistance and build the tools communities need to bring their ideas to life.
AJ Linnell Trailhead In Idaho’s Teton Valley, another exciting opportunity is taking shape. A generous landowner donation has provided TPL with a 10-acre parcel that will become the AJ Linnell North Trailhead, creating access to a growing trail network that will eventually connect more than 20 miles of single-track trails with thousands of acres of surrounding public lands, as well as BLM-managed land. As Teton Valley continues to grow and change, projects like AJ Linnell help ensure residents have access to the close-to-home outdoor recreation opportunities that make the region such a special place to live. This effort also supports a growing outdoor recreation economy that is helping diversify the valley’s future.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Across the Northern Rockies, communities are ready to invest in the public spaces that bring people together. Your gift helps expand the Thriving Communities initiative, enabling us to support local leaders, advance communitydriven projects, and create the outdoor spaces that strengthen belonging, connection, and opportunity. Together, we’re ensuring rural communities remain vibrant and connected.
Conservation That Supports Communities Thriving communities depend on thriving landscapes. The forests, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and public lands that define the Northern Rockies also support local economies, outdoor recreation, clean drinking water, and quality of life. Protecting these places ensures that future generations can continue to enjoy the benefits they provide. This year, TPL advanced one of the region’s most significant conservation efforts through our partnership with Inland Empire Paper Company (IEPC) on the Spirit of Mount Spokane project near the IdahoWashington border. Together, we permanently protected more than 22,000 acres of working forest while preventing future development. The conserved landscape provides habitat for elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, and dozens of other wildlife species that depend on healthy, connected forests to survive. It also helps safeguard the Spokane Valley– Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, which supplies drinking water for more than 675,000 people. Spirit of Mount Spokane reflects a conservation model that has become a hallmark of TPL’s work: protecting forests while keeping them working. Under the conservation easement, IEPC continues to sustainably manage these lands for timber production while ensuring permanent public access and conservation benefits. The result is a lasting win for wildlife, recreation, local economies, and nearby communities.
Impact by the Numbers • More than 1 million acres protected across the Northern Rockies • Nearly 240,000 acres protected in the last five years •
22,352 acres protected through Spirit of Mount Spokane, phase I
• Habitat protected for 28 Species of Greatest Conservation Need • Drinking water source protected for more than 675,000 people
Our joint efforts with Spirit of Mount Spokane represent the latest chapter in a long and successful partnership with working forest landowners throughout the region. TPL has now helped protect more than 1 million acres across the Northern Rockies—including nearly 240,000 acres in just the last five years. As communities across the region grow and change, these protected landscapes will continue providing clean water, recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, and economic benefits for generations to come.
Inland Empire, Montana. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BOYER / KESTREL AERIAL
THANK YOU for helping create parks, protect special places, and connect more people to the outdoors throughout Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and beyond.
NORTHERN ROCKIES ADVISORY BOARD David Barclay, Chair
Paul Hill
Sue Orb
Robert Stephens
Blake Wetherbee
Larry Garlick
Christopher Lea
Page Pedde
Ed Wetherbee
James Williams
David Weinstein Associate Vice President, Northern Rockies Director david.weinstein@tpl.org | 425.922.2940
Join us Your gift ensures everyone has access to the outdoors. Every park we create, schoolyard we transform, trail we extend, and landscape we protect is thanks to supporters like you. tpl.org/donate
CJ O’Reilly Northern Rockies Director of Philanthropy cj.oreilly@tpl.org | 406.426.9724 1007 East Main Street, Suite 300 Bozeman, MT 59715 montana@tpl.org | 406.522.7450
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