Prickly Pear Park
Location: ///bulge.tuxedos.skaters for trailhead area
Surface: level, nearly flat pathway. Well constructed
Distance: 1.4 miles (2.4km). This is the Loop trail measurement
Rise: Negligible rise – about 33 feet overall change
Services: paved ADA parking, ADA restrooms. 240 acres, opened in 2025.
Trailhead info: Trailhead for the Prickly Pear Park is just off State Highway 518, a bit south of US 12
Be aware: Will likely be icy in the winter and muddy in the spring.
Maintenance: Unknown
Best months for use: May – October (or later depending upon snowfall)
Add-ons: Two trails exist here. One is the Loop and the other is Out & Back. Out & Back is a spur heading north off the Loop. It is about .25 miles (.4k).
This park is a terrific addition to the greater Helena area park system. No dogs are allowed due to the abundant wildlife. In one 35 minute walk around the loop, I counted over 100 individual birds from 19 species. The views of the Elkhorns to the south and Helena’s shout hills and scratchgravels to the west are remarkable. The slag pile to the north is also quite interesting to see.
Montana eBird shows that visitors to Prickly Pear Park have seen more than 100 species of birds since the park opened to the public on May 1, 2025.
It does not look as though this park will have a large variety of flowering plants near the trail- and it is requested that visitors stay in the trail. Regardless, there are a few species scattered about, and the wetlands should make up for the lack of plant diversity with a huge variety of birds and likely a few mammals.
The Loop along the Prickly Pear Creek wetlands is very nice. Two large, well constructed bridges cross the creek and lots of biirdsong can be heard from both bridges.
Considering these riparian areas are the most productive bird habitat in Montana, it is wonderful to see this property being both protected and promoted as a low impact recreational area.
The walk along the Out & Back spur is quite nice. More grassland than riparian, it provides good views with several species of sparrows, swallows, and the occasional raptor.
