This Liberating 'Land Snorkeling' Trend Encourages Hikers To Truly Experience The Outdoors

While Montana may be best known for awe-inspiring short road trips and incredible must-visit spots like Glacier National Park and parts of Yellowstone, there's a new activity bringing outdoor enthusiasts to the Big Sky Country: land snorkeling. Unlike hiking, which demands total concentration, planning, and may not be suitable for all types of people, the increasingly popular trend of "land snorkeling" at the American Prairie Reserve is designed to promote our reconnection with nature while exploring the mysteries behind the environment.

As Clyde Aspevig, a Montana-based artist and longtime American Prairie volunteer, puts it on Landsnorkel.com, "Land snorkeling is taking the time to savor aspects of nature we ordinarily don't see or pay attention to. Land snorkelers wander [through] nature with no intention of hiking to a destination. One contemplates what we find in nature and explores every possible connection with all parts of our natural world. Each blade of grass, rock, or creature has some connection to us." Clyde Aspevig along with Carol Guzman are the founders of the land snorkeling movement. So if your idea of unwinding, truly experiencing outdoors, or mastering mindfulness involves enjoying the finer details of nature, the American Prairie Reserve offers one of the best "snorkeling" adventures worth adding to your Montana bucket list.

Imagine the slow wind in your face and common lilac's scent in the air as you navigate the less-trodden shortgrass paths of the American Prairie and immerse yourself in nature! That's what the liberating land snorkeling trend at the American Prairie Reserve offers hikers. The rolling sage paradise sits on over half a million acres of leased public and private land dedicated to preservation and rewilding. The reserve is home to various species and offers visitors an opportunity to experience the environment as it was when people were still hunting for the buffalo.

The American Prairie is highlighted by rocky buttes as well as tree smatterings, which offer memorable nature experiences as you wander around with no specific destination or goal in mind. You can stroll around the many dirt roads, track ranch roads, or explore the Antelope Creek campground, which features an interpretive trail leading to a waterfowl pond. On the way, you will see signs with more information about the sagebrush prairie as well as the shortgrass prairie. One of the best aspects of land snorkeling the American Prairie is that you can veer off the main trails and explore game trails, the Missouri River Breaks, sagebrush plains, or stream banks as you explore what nature has to offer at your own pace. You will have a chance to learn from Native American communities and different types of wildlife, including pronghorn, deer, bison, and elk in their natural habitats.

The fun does not end there. You can also base camp at the American Prairie, which allows you to see more while carrying less. There are several base camping options, but the most accessible one is the Antelope Creek Campground, a few miles north of the Missouri River. It features RV sites, tent spaces, a bathhouse with showers, and small cabins that you can reserve online. It is also home to a nearby wetland for bird watching, a dog town, and a hiking trail.

If you prefer a more remote option, head to the Buffalo Camp. It is open all year round and is located on the reserve's Sun Prairie property, a few miles north of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. It has a 1-mile hiking trail, group pavilions, vault toilets, and tent sites that you can also reserve online. When it comes to accessing these sites, most roads around the reserve are "gumbo" mud, dirt, or gravel, so you might want to consider all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive automobiles.

For directions and tips around the vast landscape, you can get expert guides with important insights about the reserve's attractions and camps at the National Discovery Center. Additionally, through Avenza Maps, a free app found on the App Store or Google Play Store, you can download American Prairie's map and use it for directions. The app uses your phone's GPS chip to show your real-time location.