Hyalite Canyon, only a few miles from campus, offers a variety of opportunities for recreation including hiking, fishing, boating, and swimming. You can choose from three guided hikes, rent a canoe or kayak, or spend the day relaxing along this beautifully forested mountain lake. All transportation, guides, a box lunch, and grilled trout picnic dinner are included. The guided hikes are described below:
Hike #1 - Moderate Hike
A short drive south of campus brings you to the mouth of the Sourdough Creek Drainage. You are dropped here to begin a majestic hike up Sourdough Creek to Mystic Lake then across the Drainage to Hyalite Canyon, to the bus. The adventurous walk is 13 miles total and takes about 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours. You will meet the bus and proceed to the evening picnic at the foot of Hyalite Reservoir.
Hike #2 - Rigorous Hike
This hike begins with a scenic drive from campus to Hyalite Canyon and onto Hyalite Reservoir, Palisade Falls and the Emerald Lake Trail Head. A rigorous 5 mile walk with 2000 ft. elevation gain will bring you to a beautiful high mountain cirque with 3 lakes in the area. A full day of hiking with an early afternoon descent to a picnic dinner at Hyalite Reservoir including a little time to wet your lines.
Hike #3 - Very Athletic Hike
Get ready to enjoy a scenic drive up Hyalite Canyon to Hyalite Peak Trail Head and then a vigorous 7.2 mile hike to the 10,500 foot peak and lake. A wonderful view of the surrounding area and plenty of time on this trail adventure will bring you back to the trail head in time for the picnic dinner on Hyalite Reservoir.
The Hyalite Canyon and Reservoir tour is a day long excursion (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM). The cost will be $30.00 per person.
Departure will be early in the morning for travel through the Paradise Valley to the
north entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The first stop will be Mammoth Hot
Springs, famed for its steaming, multicolored mineral terraces. Traveling next to
Norris Geyser Basin, you will have the opportunity to visit Yellowstone's most
active thermal area where numerous geysers, fumaroles (steam vents), and hot
springs actively display their uniqueness. Arriving in the Old Faithful area at lunch
time, you will have free time to eat your picnic lunch, witness the eruption of
Yellowstone's best known geyser, and explore the adjacent thermal area. The
next of Yellowstone's natural wonders is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
where you will have extraordinary views of the canyon and its waterfalls from Artist
Point and the Upper Falls. Your route will continue over the scenic Dunraven Pass
(8859 ft.) and on to Tower Falls for a brief visit before exiting Yellowstone, once
again by the north gate. This is a day long excursion (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) with
transportation, lunch, park admission, and a tour escort provided. Cost of the tour
is $50.00 per person.
Montana is replete with blue ribbon trout streams. The pure, cold water is home to
rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout. The non-resident two day license costs $15.
For those who wish to do some serious fishing please contact
the office of Conference Services, at MSU-Bozeman, and we will connect you with
reliable fishing guides.