Loop in Going-To-The-Sun Road after summer fire - lower trail head for a hike to Granite Park Chalet.

Click arrow to continue Tour of Going-To-
The-Sun Road.

CANYON MOUNTAINEERS 4-H club Bike & Horse Path

In the 1970's we had a 4-H club here in the Canyon. Back then most children were either on horse back or on bicycles. As a community project the 4-H children - took on a really BIG project: to design a bike path and horse path: from Hungry Horse to the entrance of Glacier National Park. The first plan was a bike path on one side of the highway and a horse path on the other side. But it was decided that such a plan might kill too many people. So the 4-H group put both paths on the same side of the highway. Indeed, this was planned EARLY ENOUGH THAT THE PATHS COULD BE CREATED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE HIGHWAY WAS BEING IMPROVED. AND THE BIKE AND HORSE PATHS COULD HAVE BEEN BUILT THEN WHEN THERE WAS MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SUCH A PROJECT. However, an environmentalist was unhappy and complained to the 9th circuit court in San Francisco. Surprisingly, no one from the MONTANA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT went to the hearing in support of the bike path, and the judge said no bike path. At the time I knew people living in San Francisco. They went to the hearing, and the JUDGE would not let them talk as they lived in California. The judicial decree discouraged the 4-H group. Many wondered why do so much work when no one would help follow through with the program. Young people who were willing to build the community and do good had been shot down.

So now we finally have a few people who are determined to get a bike path thru the Canyon going to Glacier Park like what was planed back in 1970. Maybe the 4-H bike path project will no longer be a dream. Perhaps it will get built and cost a lot more tax payers money, augmented by private donations. Maybe we will see a path yet. Thanks to the people who are trying to get this done before another 30 plus years go by.