Lost Trail Conservation Area

The Lost Trail Conservation Area is as rich in resources as it is in Montana beauty. It’s a potpourri of Montana’s distinguished geography, including marshy wetlands, thriving forests, and open grasslands for wildlife protection, food supplies, timber production, and recreation.

Lost Trail connects some of Montana’s most stunning natural landmarks, such as Glacier National Park, Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, Selkirk Mountains, and even Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Mountains.

Trust for Public Land helped protect more than 38,000 acres of the Lost Trail Conservation Area. This is phase one of a critical puzzle set to protect upward of 100,000 acres of Montana’s land.

Lost Trail includes private timberland that has historically been open to the public through temporary annual agreements. Perpetual conservation easements ensure permanent public recreational access.

This will also safeguard wildlife, establish a food source for the area, and provide timber jobs and recreation.

Wildlife: Lost Trail’s significance to wildlife habitat cannot be overstated. The newly protected 38,000 acres lie immediately north of the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge, providing an exceptional ecological buffer. The property is critical habitat and the main migration corridor for elk, mule deer, grizzly bear, wolverine, and Canada lynx.

Food: The Lost Trail Conservation Area offers some of the best and most popular elk hunting in northwest Montana. Thirty of the 56 Montana counties are considered food deserts. The Lost Trail project helps families supplement meals with organic, local, and nutritious food options like elk and venison.

Timber: The conservation area will allow sustainable commercial timber harvests by Southern Pine Plantations. SPP will provide sustainable forest management, ensure continued timber management, and sustain wood-product jobs in the region.

Recreation: The conservation area will provide recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing.

“For decades, Montanans’ access to some of our most treasured land has been guaranteed through little more than a handshake agreement. But at a time when Montana is seeing breakneck growth, TPL and our partners are doing everything we can—to keep Montana, Montana—and protect access to our favorite hunting spots, hiking trails, or secret fishing holes,” says Lucas Cain, project manager in the Northern Rockies.

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