Story Mill Community Park

The Trust for Public Land is working to protect and transform 60 acres adjoining the historic Story Mill in Bozeman, Montana, into a unique city park with exciting opportunities for active recreation, outdoor community gathering spaces, a 40- acre nature sanctuary, community center, new trails and trail connections, and natural and cultural interpretive programs.

In February 2014, the Bozeman City Commission unanimously approved the Story Mill Community Park proposal, with overwhelming community support. The park includes the ideas and passion of hundreds of community members, and $4.5 million from the voter-approved 2012 Bozeman Parks & Trails bond measure. In June 2018, the Campaign for Story Mill Community Park was completed thanks to the support of more than 450 individual donors, local businesses, and foundations that generously gave $11.76 million.

The Trust for Public Land has already completed a two year restoration of the site's wetlands and wildlife habitat, including a full half mile along the East Gallatin River, and designs have been finalized for an accessible adventure playground, climbing boulder, river front access to the East Gallatin, teaching farm and edible food forest trail, natural amphitheater, and much more.

Park construction, underway since April 2018, has shut down for the winter months and will resume in spring with an early July 2019 completion date.

However, residents can begin to explore the southern portion of the new park this winter. The park’s nature sanctuary trails are open for bike and pedestrian access from several points along the Story Mill Spur Trail. The northern portion of the park, where most of the built features are located, will remain closed for continuing construction next spring.

“Almost six years in the making, it is thrilling to see the Story Mill Community Park taking shape,” said Maddy Pope, Project Manager with The Trust for Public Land. “Seeing people starting to enjoy this special landscape as an enduring community park is really exciting.”

An all-day grand opening celebration of Story Mill Community Park will be hosted by The Trust for Public Land and the City of Bozeman on Saturday, July 20, 2019 so please mark your calendars!

Get involved! To learn how to support The Trust for Public Land and Story Mill Community Park, visit support.tpl.org/storymill or contact Molly.Pickall@tpl.org.