best mountain bike towns in montana

Many cyclists claim that riding an e-bike is easier than riding a normal mountain bike. Twenty minutes northwest of Hungry Horse is the popular ski resort and tourist town of Whitefish where almost 8,000 live. When you are planning on making that first engine kit purchase, many, Read More Bicycle Engine Durability: How Long Will They Last?Continue, If you are looking into getting yourself an electric bicycle for exercise, a cheaper commute to work, or even just because you like riding around. In the town, youll find local stores including such delights as a junk shop and a mountain arts store, and lodgings can be found along with an abundance of huckleberry delicacies. Since the Rattlesnake Trail System is so close to downtown there are more than a dozen bike shops to choose from. With so many trails it is difficult to truly feature just three in this section, but the following trails are designed to give you just a little taste of what is out there. 1. Pro Tip: This trail is at extreme altitudes. Most of the trail is gradual, but a few steep sections greater than 20% gradient are sure to challenge even the fittest riders. With a 20 percent broader double trail and 80 percent singletrack, the course is ideal for all levels of bikers, including those seeking to perfect their bike riding skills. Helena recently. Head to East Missoula and then up into the hills. According to Outside Magazine, Montana has 1,788 miles of mountain bike trails. . The Mt. Sign up for our FREE weekly email.Delivered to your inbox every Friday. What once resembled an exclusive playground for crack shots has morphed into something all levels of riders can enjoy. Ennis is a colorful little spot in Madison County, in southwest Montana. Discovering Montana is a resource for those living and visiting the Treasure State. Mountain Helena Ridge mountain biking trail is a section of the South Hills Trail System, one of the favorite amusing spots in the entire state. Polson, Montana. The course is mostly a single course that takes an average of 1.5 hours to bike and encompasses a cumulative elevation gain of 1,780 feet. It has a population of less than 1,000 and is another small, charming, and authentic mountain town in Montana. On the Otter Slide, you may opt to attempt the machine-built flow tracks. Whitefish is a popular stop-off point for anyone who ventures into Glacier National Park, which is little more than half an hour away from this town in the mountains of Montana. Youve all that needs to be there in the mind like color, brand, price range, etc. The black diamond course is rated as expert level and stretches up to 16 miles. But it is a little more difficult to decide which is the best one. Pass prices are to be determined when the season comes so you will need to keep an eye on the website for when they release prices. Bike, eat, sleep, repeat. Pro Tip: Make sure you are running tubeless tires with fresh sealant because there are quite a few prickly pear cacti surrounding this area. Crested Butte in the town's free bus. Montana is a big state with a small population, and trails galore. It has 33 trails that range from intermediate to black diamond difficulty level. You will get the most bang for your buck that way and wont waste time standing at trail junctions debating what to ride. If you don't have time to ride the entire Divide (and climb 200,000 feet), you can get a wild taste of it bike-packing through Montana, where the 726-mile portion offers some of the route's most challenging and breathtaking mountain passes, stretching through Whitefish, Helena, and Butte, and the smaller towns of Eureka, Ovando, and Lakeview. One of Montana's best kept cycling secrets is a stone's throw from Yellowstone National Park. MTB Missoula has built 6 miles of trail there since 2016, including two bike-only, downhill-only tracks: Bjorn Again and the Hello Kitty flow trail. December 3, 2019. The trail has a little bit of everything with singletrack, rock obstacles, and man-made features. It is considered one of the best trails at the Rattlesnake Trail System probably because it is fast and flowy up top with some more technical features and even a few drops as you near the bottom. They are open Monday-Saturday from 10 am 5 or 6 pm and are also less than 10 minutes away from the featured trailhead. Not to say that motorized bikes dont come with any problems, but their convenience and ease of use is just amazing. Residents of Asheville and the surrounding area can easily visit the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. And some of the best mountain towns in Montana may well have you feeling like you dont want to leave them. The Most Epic Montana Destinations for a Family Trip in 2022. The trails provide a wide range of activity options and are accessible between April and October. Backcountry trails have varying conditions and getting clothes-lined by a downed tree is never worth it. So learn more about one of the best mountain towns in Montana, and then add it to your list! We talked to local bike shop owners, trail builders, and photographers to uncover the greatest routes, with the most beautiful lakes, open meadows and dazzling descents. Of course, Whitefish is widely considered to be one of the best local mountain towns thanks to the Whitefish Ski Resort, a popular tourist destination. Once you have reached the top of the Line Creek Plateau mountain biking trail, high on the ridgeline, the bikers are amused by some of the most astonishing sceneries the State of Montana has to offer. This trail can be accessed from the Warm Springs Trail System but also travels down into the State Line- Divide trail network. Whitefish mountain biking trail encompasses approximately 30 miles of singletrack, with a number of route options and a network of fresh possibilities like the Woods Lake Loop and Swift Creek Trail. The mountain bike community in Montana is thriving with plenty of local race series, local pros, a high school league, and people willing to show you the ropes around every corner. However, when the bikers reach the apex, the course switches into an exciting singletrack trail that is technical as its challenging. However, not all are meant to achieve it through mountain biking. Beautifully designed and eager to reinvent itself, the Whitefish Trail encompasses roughly 30 miles of singletrack, with myriad route options and a network of new possibilities like the Swift Creek Trail and Woods Lake Loop (with future trail construction planned for Lazy Creeks, Whitefish Mountain Resort and Haskill Basin). The trails are designed to cater to every type of rider in the area from a first timer to a professional athlete. They offer rentals and repairs with reasonable prices. Crested Butte. It is small enough to have an authentic feel to it but large enough to have all the amenities anyone could wish for. Although Bozeman is somewhat larger than many of the other mountain towns in Montana, it does still manage to retain something of a charming small-town feel. Focus on keeping your effort consistent and avoid sprinting or sharp explosive efforts. Located near the historic towns of Anaconda and Philipsburg, the new bike park is the best excuse to explore western parts of the state you might otherwise overlook. This trail is accessible close to the Huntley Lodge at the Explorer lift. Montanas trails have always made me pause to appreciate how incredible our landscapes are and how big and endless the opportunities are that are lingering around each corner. One of the towns with the best mountain views is, Bozeman also provides fantastic views of the, One of the best is Kalispell, a gateway to Glacier National Park. Featuring stunning glacier-carved mountain peaks which tower over river-bisected valleys, Glacier National Park covers over 1,500 square miles of wilderness in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, near Montana's border with Canada. When it comes to doing your daily commute, few options are better than riding an electric bicycle. Snowbowl Overlook: This trail is labeled as a black diamond because it can be a very difficult climbing trail. Thus it would be best if you didnt compromise on it. The shuttle picks up at Womens Mural and runs Wednesday-Sunday from May-September. 16 Best Mountain Bike Towns in the US + Free Camping Guide Home Julie Singh April 7, 2020 Must-Visit Mountain Bike Destinations in the US Updated 7.21.22 We have been traveling in our RV since the summer of 2017 exploring the best outdoor towns in the U.S. Short Fenceline: Short Fenceline is an easier ride in the Rattlesnake trail system. However, e-bikes have a limited range; As the popularity of e-bikes continues to rise, so does e-bike theft. Population: 1,933. From the mountains rich with forests, lakes and rivers to the welcoming downtown, this is a place worth exploring and protecting for all those who love it. The navigation starts at a steady climb from the trailhead, which ultimately brings bikers a reasonably flat, steady-pedaling section of the trail that borders the slopes giving the bikers their initial taste of the incredible and grand ridgeline. River Traditions LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/flathead/recreation/bicycling, https://www.outsidebozeman.com/planning/reports-conditions/trail-time-share, http://www.montanamountainbikealliance.com/, https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/2274/Bike-Skills-Parks, https://www.bikehelena.com/vigilante-bike-park/. The lifts are open from 9 am- 4:45 pm from June 9th to September 22 if weather permits. Let's stay updated! The landscape also features rocky mountain ranges, making it more adventurous and fun for mountain bikers. It is also one of the relaxing nature rides in the most breathtaking settings. You will need another car or someone to pick you up on East Side road when you are finished. There are 3 distinct parking areas that allow for easy access to different sides of the trail system. Take the shuttle or pedal five miles from town to reach the 7.9-mile singletrack route, where you may spot Prickly Pear Land Trust's Emmett Purcell heading up the first 600-foot climb. Montana's municipalities cover only 1.2% of the state's land mass but are home to 53.8% of its population. It is 15 miles long and has almost 2,000 feet of climbing and over 5,000 feet of descending. Photo Source: The Ranch at Rock Creek. One of the best places to mountain bike in the world, the McKenzie River Trail is made up of all things that a biking enthusiast is looking for- dense forests, lava rock sections, hot springs, bustling waterfalls and deep blue pools. Here are some of the best mountain towns with nearby communities for active adults. This 10-mile route is an open secret, butit'll still likely just be you, fields of wildflowers, and the Big Sky if you take it. Once you have purchased your pass you can pick it up at the Mountain Village Plaza. Even non-hikers can trek up Mt. The trail is primarily singletrack with a few rocky areas, and as the trail suggests, a couple of creek crossings. Small towns and wide-open landscapes are great places to be. You canchoose to grunt up the hill (purchase a $5 trail-use-only ticket) or take the Silver Chief Chairlift (get an all-mountain day pass/$28). The trailheads for this system are easily accessible and are scattered throughout neighborhoods and the downtown area. Here are the 10 best ski towns in North America for the 2022/2023 season, as voted by our readers in the annual USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.