For a glimpse of what could be a future version of Montana, you might take a drive up South Hills Road from Montana City to the intersection with Martinez Gulch Road. Take a left, and you’ll soon find yourself at the head of the Eddye McClure East Trail.
You may find yourself competing for parking there with a few other cars. Maybe more than a few. And that’s the problem.
In a sort of parable for competing claims on land and the state of planning, residents of the neighborhood are protesting what they say is increasing, and increasingly unsafe, congestion around the trailhead.
On Sept. 4, about 20 Martinez Gulch property owners gathered in Montana City for a chance to discuss their situation with County Commissioners.
The residents expressed their concerns about the growing number of hikers using the trail, part of a network around Mount Ascension which is managed by the Prickly Pear Land Trust. With little space available for parking, they say visitors often leave their vehicles on private property, frequently on dry, grassy areas where a stray spark could start a fire.
Vandalism and littering have been reported in the area, and some at the meeting said that hikers have responded badly, sometimes with harassment or threats, to residents who expressed their dissatisfaction.
The Eddye McClure East Trail, a 4.9-mile, out-and-back path, has been in use for at least 40 years, according to the Land Trust. Executive Director Mary Hollow said the trail crossed over property owned until recently by the Paustian family, which often allowed hikers to pass through with verbal permission or other informal agreement. The Land Trust worked with the Paustians to maintain the trail, Hollow said, and the original parcel on Martinez Gulch Road provided ample roadside parking.
“This all used to be done with just a handshake, a gentleman’s agreement,” Hollow told The Monitor. “It just isn’t done that way any more.”
In 2021, the property was purchased by Mike Dowling and his family. At the suggestion of their attorney, the Dowlings posted a “No trespassing” sign at the trailhead, according to Hollow. The family then began working with the Land Trust to better accommodate visitors. The trailhead was moved south and an existing parking area was eliminated, work that Hollow says cost between $25,000 and $30,000.
The Trust and the Dowlings also agreed to an easement that allows 60 feet of access around the trail. That easement appears to be at the heart of the current tension. The Land Trust says the Dowlings have built fences that encroach on the easement. And residents say that Martinez Gulch Road, which is just 18 feet wide, isn’t big enough to accommodate the parking that the easement technically allows.
Dowling says he has worked with the Land Trust for months to try to resolve the issues. “They made no concessions,” Dowling told the commissioners. “And now, they don’t talk to us at all.” Hollow says that none of the solutions the Land Trust has offered have led to satisfactory results.
In the meantime, trail traffic appears to have grown, and residents say visitors frequently drive at unsafe speeds in the tight stretches lined with parked cars on each side.
In June, according to a post on the Land Trust’s Instagram account, signs were posted at the trailhead indicating that the trail was closed. “Trail users may not park anywhere on Martinez Gulch Road because it’s private property and landowners are trying to protect their property,” a sign in the accompanying photograph read.
The Land Trust post noted that, “PPLT will diligently continue to remove closure signs and keep access open to all.”
All of which led to the Sept. 4 meeting with County commissioners. While sympathetic to the residents, the commissioners said there wasn’t much they could do. “It’s not a county road,” Commissioner Corey Kirsch told the gathering. County Road Superintendent Bear Taylor added, “And never will be. It does not meet county road standards.”
The residents pressed the commissioners, seeking potential options. “Can we put a gate on the road?” Denise Burnett asked the commissioners. The reply was no, the road cannot be barricaded because it is frequently used by law enforcement and firefighters.
Another option presented was to fence or block a larger space often used for parking. Again, the reply from the commissioners was no. Montana City Fire Chief Lyn Stimpson spoke up, saying the Montana City Volunteer Fire Department uses the road because there is a water fill site nearby. “The fire department would be opposed to any blocking of the road,” Stimpson said.
Commissioner Dan Hagerty told the group that any types of threats or harassment should be reported to law enforcement. “They need to know about those kinds of things.”
“I wish there was more we could do,” Kirsch told the residents, “But we have to follow the law.” Kirsch said the commissioners would continue to explore options, seeking to find a middle ground between the residents and visitors seeking access to public land.
“That’s what we really need to find,” Kirsch said. “We need to find a solution for everybody.”
Hollow says the PPTP is also willing to participate in future discussions, even though they only own the easements, not the land. She says the first step towards a longer solution is agreeing on the easement boundaries, and removing the encroaching fences placed by land owners. This, she said, would provide adequate parking for temporary visitors.
Finding a solution is made more daunting by the fact the area – while inside the Jefferson County line – also borders on Lewis and Clark county and the City of Helena, both of which may need to be involved in any future solution discussions.
But all parties say they are willing to continue seeking solutions.“This trail is really the crown jewel of the South Hills,” Hollow said. “I think this is just part of the growing pains and a growing population with a different culture than we are used to.”
