'Bear aware' guided hike on Thursday

A series of guided hikes and environmental education opportunities will be happening on the Whitefish Trail this season.

The series kicks off with a Bear Aware Guided Hike on Thursday, May 22 at 5:30 p.m. at Lion Mountain Trailhead.

Come out and explore bear signs and safety along the trail while increasing your animal awareness and confidence while travelling in bear country. This family-friendly outing will involve an easy one to two mile hike, featuring instruction and hands-on use of inert bear spray. Counter Assault is donating the practice spray canisters for this hike.

The hike will be led by Kim Corette who has several decades of experience working and recreating in bear country. Corette formerly worked as a back country ranger in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Mission Mountain Wilderness and has experienced many bear encounters. Corette has embraced safe travel habits and enjoys sharing those skills with others.

The Whitefish Trail offers 26-miles of natural surface trails and seven trailheads located in a forested, rural environment popular for biking, hiking and equestrian use. The diverse trail system is appropriate for outdoor enthusiasts and families including hikers, dog walkers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and runners, of all abilities.

For more information about this hike and other scheduled outings, visit www.whitefishlegacy.org or contact Kim Corette at 406-862-3880 or email kim@whitefishlegacy.org.