The Nature Conservancy’s Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve is temporarily closed to hiking due to bear activity in the vicinity.

Bears are normally very active at this time of year in the Northern Rockies and the Conservancy wants to take every precaution possible to prevent any conflicts between people and bears — for the safety and health of both.

The Conservancy’s staff will be monitoring the trail for signs of bears and will make a determination of when there seems to be less activity. At that time, they will reopen the trail to public use. The public is reminded to always be bear aware at any time they are hiking the preserve.

A community hike is planned at the preserve for June 4. Late spring is a fine time to visit Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve and learn about the plants, animals and cultural history that makes it such a special place.

The 13,000-acre preserve, on the north and east slopes of Heart Mountain, was purchased by the Conservancy in 1999. The mountain’s unusual limestone cap has a puzzling geologic history, but made it easily identifiable on maps Lewis and Clark left behind.

The property is home to both a resident herd of elk as well as a large herd that migrates there in the winter. The preserve also boasts one of the greatest concentrations of rare plants ever discovered on private property in Wyoming.