KIRK HILL
SOUTH BOZEMANTrail Stats
Distance: 1.5 to 2 miles (loop or out and back options)
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 500 to 800 ft
Trail Type: Loop or out and back
Estimated Time: 30 min to 1.5 hours
Dog Friendly: Yes, leash required
Parking / Access: Parking lot off South 19th Avenue at the bend toward Hyalite Canyon Road
Best Season: Year-round; steep sections can be slick in wet or icy conditions
Trail Description:
Kirk Hill is what Bozeman locals mean when they say this town has trail access like nowhere else. Ten minutes from downtown, tucked just off South 19th where the road hooks toward Hyalite, the Kirk Hill trail system drops you immediately into old-growth aspen and Douglas fir that feel far wilder than the drive in suggests. Steps, handrails, and benches line the steeper sections, making this accessible even for younger hikers or those just getting started, but the incline will still earn you a good burn. The trail was donated to the MSU Alumni Foundation in 1969 with the request that it serve as an outdoor classroom, and that original spirit still holds. It is a peaceful, shaded, genuinely lovely place to spend an hour. For buyers looking at homes on the south side of Bozeman, proximity to Kirk Hill is one of those quiet quality-of-life perks that people do not fully appreciate until they live near it.
Laurie’s Notes:
This is where Laurie writes his own personal take on the trail.