Hiking, biking, and sculpture van tour reservations now open!
April 9, 2024
Join us for hiking, biking, and sculpture van tours beginning June 14!
While it is hard to beat the excitement of this week’s total solar eclipse, we are also thrilled that registration is now open for hiking, biking, and sculpture van tours of Tippet Rise during the 2024 summer season!
There are many ways to experience the art center, and no two visits are exactly alike. Hikers and bikers can pursue various routes within the trail system – from moderate loops and half-day excursions to the more challenging trails for those seeking a full day of adventure. Guests attending a sculpture van tour in the morning might stay to enjoy lunch in Will’s Shed, and perhaps spend some time exploring artworks in and around the Cottonwood Campus. During the concert season, visitors may even hear a pop-up performance or poetry reading at the Tiara or in Stillwater.
A group of bikers make their way down the Meridian Trail. Photo by Kevin Kinzley.
Hiking and Biking
Guests are welcome to bring their own mountain bike, e-bike, or hiking shoes for self-guided tours exploring 15 miles of single-track trails that connect the artworks. Distances between each sculpture vary from .5 mile to 3 miles, with the opportunity to gain as much as 2,000 vertical feet. Between the hills, bowls, crags, canyons, and monumental sculptures, the experience can be physically demanding yet rewarding, like no other cultural destination.
Additionally, the main Cottonwood Campus features over two miles of gentle walking and biking trails, and the opportunity to experience artworks by Francis Kéré, Ai Weiwei, Patrick Dougherty, Wendy Red Star, Alexander Calder, and Louise Nevelson.
To plan out a hiking and biking visit, review the Tippet Rise map, which includes artwork markers and detailed trail descriptions.
Hiking and biking reservations, which are free to everyone, can be made here. While reservations tend to fill up quickly, a small number of new hiking and biking reservations will be added to the website on a weekly basis beginning in June, to accommodate those who may not yet know their summer schedules.
Please kindly make your reservations only for the dates that you plan to visit the art center and for the exact number of people in your party. Additionally, if your plans change and you cannot make it to Tippet Rise, please contact us at info@tippetrise.org as early as possible so we can open those spots to other guests.
A rainbow appears beyond a Tippet Rise tour van. Photo by Kevin Kinzley.
Sculpture Van Tours
Sculpture van tours are offered in advance of our concert season, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June 14 through August 11. Lasting approximately 2.5 hours, van tours stop at many of the sculptures sited across the ranch. Guests are welcome to get out and walk up to the artworks at each stop, where tour guides and rangers provide additional information and insights.
Sculpture van tours are $10 per person, free to anyone 21 and under, and reservations can be made here.
For questions about accessibility or mobility assistance, please email info@tippetrise.org. Please note, advance registration is required for all visitors to the art center.
Guests enjoy a meal at Will’s Shed during a Tippet Rise sunset. Photo by Kevin Kinzley.
Dining at Tippet Rise
Guests may bring their own provisions to enjoy in Will’s Shed, or out on the trails. We are also delighted that our Red Lodge-based culinary partners are joining us once again this summer. From June 14 – August 11, Asano Otsu and her team from Samurai Sue’s Everyday Foods will sell grain bowls, sandwiches, wraps, and snacks. During the concert season, lunch and dinner on Fridays, and lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, will be available for purchase by the James Beard-nominated PREROGATIvE Kitchen.
Sign-up for the Tippet Rise newsletter to learn about additional summer programs and ways to experience the art center as they are announced in the coming months.