Wild Horse Plains Back Country Horsemen

Monthly Meeting, 7pm
2025-10-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-03-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-11 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-06-08 19:00, 2026-09-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-10-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-11-09 19:00 - 20:30 UTC | Plains/Paradise Senior Citizen’s Center,, 205 W. Meany, Plains, MT
Our meetings are on the second Monday of each month. Visitors and potential new members are always welcome. Occasionally meetings ae held at alternative locations, such as a members’ home or other local public facilities and may be proceeded by a potluck meal.

Big Hole Lookout Closure
2025-10-16 08:00 - 18:00 | Big Hole Lookout, Montana
Help with winterizing the lookout by removing freezable items (paint), closing shutters, wrapping the mattress, taking down the highline, installing storm door, pouring 20 gallons of water into outhouse vault, placing rodent bait stations, return fire extinguisher to district for annual service, return lime container to district for refill, etc.
Encourage Forest Service personnel to accompany our members to familiarize FS with closure procedures.

Monthly Meeting 7pm
2025-11-10 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-02-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Plains/Paradise Senior Citizen’s Center,, 205 W. Meany, Plains, MT

Potluck Christmas Party and Monthly Meeting @5pm
2025-12-13 17:00 - 20:00 | Plains/Paradise Senior Citizen’s Center,, 205 W. Meany, Plains, MT
Annual Potluck Christmas Party and monthly meeting at the Plains Senior Center. Bring an exchange gift of $20 or less if you’d like to participate in the gift exchange. Chapter will provide a meat, members provide a side dish, desserts, etc.

RAC Trail Clearing - Falls Flat Trail
2026-01-31 - 2026-03-15 | HWY 135 – Cascade Campground/Ferry Landing
Clear the 7.1 miles Falls Flat Trail of winter debris, fallen trees, etc. Clear the entire Falls Flat Trail, including from its junctions with the River Trail (#223) and the Iron Mountain Trail (#242) to each trailhead.
Track your time/mileage and report to John

Falls Flat Trail from Ferry Landing to Cascade Campground via the River Trail and Iron Mountain Trail. Approximately 7.1 miles.

RAC Road Clearing (Road 887)
2026-03-01 - 2026-03-09 | Forest Service Road 887, Mile Marker 68.5 Highway 200
Description: Clear road 887 (Weeksville) of winter debris (rocks, fallen and bent over trees and brush).
As a result of the rain/wind events in December 2025, expect moderate-to-heavy debris loads on roads. Clearing may need use of wheel/tracked equipment to remove large debris accumulations.

How to help/What to bring: Begin by clearing road 887 by yourself or with others, remove all material from roadway from the intersection of Highway 200/Forest Service Road #887 to the Big Hole Lookout Road #5587, approximately 3.1 miles.
Track your hours and mileage, report to John Errecart

Miles: Approximately 3.1 miles on road 887.

RAC Road Clearing (Road #5587)
2026-03-09 - 2026-03-22, 2026-03-22 - 2026-04-12 | Forest Service Road 887, Mile Marker 68.5 Highway 200
Description: Clear road 5587 (Big Hole Lookout) of winter debris (rocks, fallen and bent over trees and brush).
As a result of the rain/wind events in December 2025, expect moderate-to-heavy debris loads on roads. Clearing may need use of wheel/tracked equipment to remove large debris accumulations.

How to help/What to bring: Continue earlier clearing of roads 887 and 5587 by yourself or with others, remove all material from roadway from the 3-mile switchback on road 5587 to the switchback just above the 6-mile marker.
Track your hours and mileage, report to John Errecart

Miles: Approximately 3 miles on road 5587.
Trail Boss: All members

2026 Montana State Convention
2026-03-27 - 2026-03-29 | MT
2026 BCHMT State Convention: Historic Trails and Campfire Tales
Hosted by Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen
Online Registration and Convention Information: Convention – Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen

RAC Road Clearing (Road 5587)
2026-04-12 - 2026-05-10 | Forest Service Road 887, Mile Marker 68.5 Highway 200
Description: Clear road 5587 (Big Hole Lookout) of winter debris (rocks, fallen and bent over trees and brush).
As a result of the rain/wind events in December 2025, expect moderate-to-heavy debris loads on roads. Clearing may need use of wheel/tracked equipment to remove large debris accumulations.

How to help/What to bring: Continue earlier clearing of roads 887 and 5587 by yourself or with others, remove all material from roadway from the switchback just above the 6 mile marker on road 5587 to the pedestrian Big Hole Lookout trailhead just above the 9 mile marker on road 5587.
Track your hours and mileage, report to John Errecart
Miles: Approximately 3.1 miles on road 5587.

Trail Boss: All members

Carrie helps clears the last three miles of the road to the Big Hole Trailhead of debris.

Big Hole Area Trail Clearing, Lookout Opening and Campout. Celebrate National Trails Day.
2026-06-05 - 2026-06-14 | Big Hole Lookout – Gravel Pit Trailhead
Participate one or multiple days from June 5th to June 14th as we campout at the gravel pit (also known as the new equine Big Hole Lookout trailhead) and clear area trails, open up the lookout and to get it ready for the rental season beginning June 10th.
Chapter provides weed seed free hay and 200 gallons of potable water (could use help 6/4 towing trailers (2) with hay and water to the gravel pit. Also, back down when we’re finished).
How to help: Clear the two roads behind the yearlong gate closures of woody debris and rocks using stock, ATVs, UTVs or pickups for access. Help with clearing the other several trails in the area. Help open and clean the lookout.
The work is directly related to our Challenge Cost Share agreement and the RAC grant we renewed the fall of 2023.

Monthly Meeting,7pm
2026-07-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Plains/Paradise Senior Citizen’s Center,, 205 W. Meany, Plains, MT

Monthly Meeting, 7pm
2026-08-10 19:00 - 20:30 | MT

Big Hole Lookout Maintenance Days
2026-08-14 - 2026-08-17 | Big Hole Lookout – Gravel Pit Trailhead
Several projects to complete including:
Enlarge hole for bolt passing through shutter and window on shutter right of door (facing door from exterior). Smooth and paint interior sill where wood has been carved away to facility shutter closure. Shutter very difficult to close currently. Two people for 1/2 day. Battery operated drill with wood bit, flat cutter Dewalt battery tool, green paint.
Scrape, sand and paint LO chipping paint on exterior. 2 people for 1/2 day. White exterior paint, battery operated sander with sandpaper. Due to the harsh environment this is an annual activity.
Scrape, sand and paint inside of lookout. 2 people for one day. Green interior paint, battery operated sander with sandpaper.
Cut dead/down LP located on Spring Crk trail below outhouse for stove size firewood (15″). Cut, stack and cover wood for renters to retrieve.
Cut green trees near the lookout. Limb, skid and stack the cut green trees near the firewood cache where they can dry out and be cut to stove size in the future. After felling and limbing, buck the tree bole (log) into lengths that can be carried by two folks to the cache site.
Camping at the gravel pit or some may choose to stay at the lookout.

Big Hole Lookout Closure
2026-10-15 | MT
Help with winterizing the lookout by removing freezable items (paint), closing shutters, wrapping the mattress, taking down the highline, installing storm door, pouring 20 gallons of water into outhouse vault, placing rodent bait stations, return fire extinguisher to district for annual service, return lime container to district for refill, etc.
Encourage Forest Service personnel to accompany our members to familiarize FS with closure procedures.
Mid-October we’ll be heading up to winterize the lookout.
Cheryl removes the struts holding the shutters as we close down the lookout for the winter.

Potluck Christmas Celebration @ 5pm-8pm
2026-12-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Plains/Paradise Senior Citizen’s Center,, 205 W. Meany, Plains, MT
