Bluebird Preserve Recreation & Special Resource Management Plan
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinEmail this link
The Bluebird Preserve - Missoula's Newest Conservation Land
Parks and Recreation and its partners invite residents to celebrate Earth Day by exploring the 124-acre Bluebird Preserve at the foot of Grant Creek.The Preserve's grand opening is on Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The trailhead is on the east side of Grant Creek Road, between Expo Parkway and Stonebridge Rd., at the north end of the Snowbowl carpool lot. Learn more
Perched above Grant Creek and overlooking the Missoula valley from the north sits Missoula's newest addition to our Conservation Lands system, the Bluebird Preserve. The 124-acre Preserve will add much-needed open space and recreational access to the Grant Creek, Captain John Mullan, Westside, and Northside neighborhoods. The City purchased the parcel in 2019 with 2006 Open Space Bond funds and a contribution from Five Valleys Land Trust.
The Preserve also adds critical habitat, unique resources, and valuable ecosystem services to Missoula’s Conservation Lands System. In particular, the Preserve is home to Missoula Phlox (Phlox missoulensis), a species of wildflower only known to exist in a narrow band of the Missoula's North Hills. The population of Missoula Phlox on the Bluebird Preserve joins Waterworks Hill as one of only two known populations on City conservation lands. It is the second of only three currently known Missoula Phlox populations in the Missoula valley.
Parks & Recreation has developed a management plan to guide the recreational trails, trailhead development, recreational infrastructure, and natural resource management priorities for the 428-acre parcel comprised of the Bluebird Preserve and adjoining Republic Services conservation easement. The 304-acre Republic Services easement permanently protects the land as open space and allows seasonal public access. The property remains in private ownership; access is a privilege granted by the landowner's generosity. Trailhead access to the new open space will be located just north of the Grant Creek Conoco, adjacent to the Snowbowl carpool parking lot. The anticipated opening date is Fall, 2022.
Some highlights from the Final Plan, available here, are listed below:
Includes the 124-acre Bluebird Preserve and 304-acre Republic Services conservation easement for a total of 428 acres of new public open space
Around 4 miles of new trails opened for pedestrian and equestrian users**
Trails built with moderate grades and appropriate widths to accommodate a wide variety of users
A scenic overlook of the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys
Protection and enhancement of critical habitat for Missoula Phlox
Seasonal access to trails on the 304-acre Republic Services Conservation Easement
Opportunities to learn about the unique open space and natural resource values of the area
Missoula Phlox in bloom
** Exact trail mileage depends on final agreements with Republic Services and field verification of trail routes, see the Final Plan for seasonal restrictions on access and allowed uses.
The Final Bluebird Preserve Recreation and Special Resource Management Plan was adopted by Missoula Parks and Recreation Board on May 10, 2022! See the final plan here.
Implementation of the final plan is now underway and the property could open to public use as soon as this fall.
You may provide additional comments or ask questions about the implementation process by using the Questions tool at the bottom of this page.
The Bluebird Preserve - Missoula's Newest Conservation Land
Parks and Recreation and its partners invite residents to celebrate Earth Day by exploring the 124-acre Bluebird Preserve at the foot of Grant Creek.The Preserve's grand opening is on Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The trailhead is on the east side of Grant Creek Road, between Expo Parkway and Stonebridge Rd., at the north end of the Snowbowl carpool lot. Learn more
Perched above Grant Creek and overlooking the Missoula valley from the north sits Missoula's newest addition to our Conservation Lands system, the Bluebird Preserve. The 124-acre Preserve will add much-needed open space and recreational access to the Grant Creek, Captain John Mullan, Westside, and Northside neighborhoods. The City purchased the parcel in 2019 with 2006 Open Space Bond funds and a contribution from Five Valleys Land Trust.
The Preserve also adds critical habitat, unique resources, and valuable ecosystem services to Missoula’s Conservation Lands System. In particular, the Preserve is home to Missoula Phlox (Phlox missoulensis), a species of wildflower only known to exist in a narrow band of the Missoula's North Hills. The population of Missoula Phlox on the Bluebird Preserve joins Waterworks Hill as one of only two known populations on City conservation lands. It is the second of only three currently known Missoula Phlox populations in the Missoula valley.
Parks & Recreation has developed a management plan to guide the recreational trails, trailhead development, recreational infrastructure, and natural resource management priorities for the 428-acre parcel comprised of the Bluebird Preserve and adjoining Republic Services conservation easement. The 304-acre Republic Services easement permanently protects the land as open space and allows seasonal public access. The property remains in private ownership; access is a privilege granted by the landowner's generosity. Trailhead access to the new open space will be located just north of the Grant Creek Conoco, adjacent to the Snowbowl carpool parking lot. The anticipated opening date is Fall, 2022.
Some highlights from the Final Plan, available here, are listed below:
Includes the 124-acre Bluebird Preserve and 304-acre Republic Services conservation easement for a total of 428 acres of new public open space
Around 4 miles of new trails opened for pedestrian and equestrian users**
Trails built with moderate grades and appropriate widths to accommodate a wide variety of users
A scenic overlook of the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys
Protection and enhancement of critical habitat for Missoula Phlox
Seasonal access to trails on the 304-acre Republic Services Conservation Easement
Opportunities to learn about the unique open space and natural resource values of the area
Missoula Phlox in bloom
** Exact trail mileage depends on final agreements with Republic Services and field verification of trail routes, see the Final Plan for seasonal restrictions on access and allowed uses.
The Final Bluebird Preserve Recreation and Special Resource Management Plan was adopted by Missoula Parks and Recreation Board on May 10, 2022! See the final plan here.
Implementation of the final plan is now underway and the property could open to public use as soon as this fall.
You may provide additional comments or ask questions about the implementation process by using the Questions tool at the bottom of this page.
Missoula Phlox in bloom
