Hieronymus Park

Accessible and natural trails with gorgeous views of the Bitterroot Mountains

Hieronymus Park has accessible and natural trails right in the heart of Hamilton, featuring a pond, river access, open meadows, and gorgeous views of the Bitterroot Mountains.

Features: Benches along the trail, a fishing pond, canopy picnic tables, birdwatching and wildlife viewing, ten interpretive signs, and access to the Bitterroot River.

Accessibility info and site description: Hieronymus Park is located in Hamilton behind the Dairy Queen and the Bitterroot River Inn. There is a very small parking area with three accessible and three non-accessible parking spots next to the veteran's memorial, and a large porta-potty at the entrance. A sign informs visitors that moose, mountain lions, and bears are occasionally seen in this area, and there are orange bags available for collecting trash during your visit if you would like to help keep the rivers clean.

The path is a wide, firm, flat trail made of finely crushed rock. There are six benches along the accessible trail (three on the trail and three just off the trail) and ten interpretive signs. The trail starts by going through an open field with buildings to the left and a ropes course to the right, followed by a creek to the left and a forested area on the right. The landscape then opens up to a large open meadow and stunning views of the Bitterroot Mountains.

The accessible trail ends after .4 mile, and an undeveloped, natural trail continues from here. Cross the footbridge to find picnic tables and a fishing pond on the left, or follow the path through the meadow to access the river. The trail around the fishing pond is looped, and there are multiple route options through the meadow. A link to the map can be found at the bottom of this page.

Hieronymus Park Welcome Sign

Three non-accessible parking spaces

Three accessible parking spaces

The entrance and a large porta-potty

Moose, mountain lions, and bears are occasionally seen here

A sign about keeping the river clean

Orange bags for collecting trash during your visit

The trail is a wide, flat, accessible path for the first .4 mile

There are benches and interpretive signs along the trail

The flat, wide path continues

There are 3 benches on the trail and 3 benches just off trail

One of the interpretive signs

One of the benches beside the trail

The mountains coming into view from the trail

Beautiful views from the trail

Another interpretive sign

Cross the bridge to get to the fishing pond and picnic tables

The fishing pond

There’s a natural trail that goes around the pond

There are picnic tables around the pond, including a few covered picnic tables with canopies

Heading back over the bridge

There are several route options around the west side of the park

A large open field

Incredible mountain views

There are a few meandering trails through the meadow heading toward the river

Views from the meadow

My experience: I did not expect this spot to be as beautiful and amazing as it is. The park is right in town behind a bunch of buildings and the main road, so I had assumed this spot would be loud or the views wouldn't be that great. Oh, how wrong I was!

First, I wish every trail was made out of this material, because it's both natural and accessible. I was also impressed with how many benches there are, and it was nice to always be able to see the next bench as I walked down the trail. As you start coming around the bend and the mountains come into view, it is absolutely breathtaking. Suddenly you can't tell you're right in town. All you see is the open meadow, the mountains, and the pond, and after only a short walk! I could have spent all day there, and I look forward to exploring the rest of the trails on my next visit.

Overall, Hieronymus Park has a wonderful natural and accessible trail with benches and gorgeous views. The best part is you would never know you're just a few hundred feet from town! Bring a picnic or a fishing pole to the pond, explore the river and meadows, and take in the views at this absolutely incredible spot in Hamilton.

 

For more information, visit:
https://www.visitbitterrootvalley.com/location/hieronymus-park/

Download the trail map here:
https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hamilton/living/parks_and_recreation/docs/Hieronymus%20Park%20Trail%20Map%20-%20March%202022.pdf