By Derek Lennon EBS Contributor
Bring your mountain bike to Big Sky—it’s amazing here. Big Sky’s mountain biking community is smiling ear-to-ear. Over the past few years there have been major improvements to the mountain biking terrain in Big Sky and it’s putting this mountain town on the map as a mountain biking destination.
Let’s face it, summer in Big Sky rocks and one of the big reasons is that the mountain biking in Big Sky is world class. There’s a massive trail system that connects hundreds of miles of forest service trails and dirt roads with miles of cross country, single-track, and downhill trails. This trail system links Big Sky Resort, the Meadow, Town Center, Spanish Peaks, Moonlight Basin, and forest service lands seamlessly. But the best part is that the mountain biking in Big Sky is ridiculously fun.
Do you want to pedal through the forests, cruise down dirt roads, hop man-made features, flow down single-track trails, or explore the mountains on well-maintained mountain bike trails? You can do it all in Big Sky.
In 2015, Lone Mountain Land Company, Boyne Resorts, and the Big Sky Community Organization hired Whitefish-based TerraFlow Trails to take the mountain biking in Big Sky to a whole new level and create an ever-growing “village-to-village” trail experience. There is now mountain biking for every ability level from beginner to expert.
Popular mountain biking trails in Big Sky include:
- Mountain to Meadow
- Porcupine Creek
- Garnet Mountain
- Soul Hole
- Otter Slide
- Mica Creek
- Uplands Loop
And the list keeps getting longer.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to bike at Big Sky Resort too. Big Sky Resort offers more than 40 miles of roads and trails—many that are lift accessible via Swift Current, Ramcharger, and Explorer chairs. Beginning May 30, lifts run daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with additional trails opening as conditions allow.
Did you know that the Big Sky Bike Park is a two-time top five winner at MTBparks.com Riders’ Choice Best Bike Parks Awards for the Northwest Region? The biking around here is unreal.
If you’re new to the sport, hire a downhill coach or take a cross country tour. Visit Different Spokes Bike Shop in Big Sky Resort’s Mountain Village Plaza to arrange a coach, and purchase lift passes, rentals and gear.
If you don’t have a bike, don’t worry. Local outdoor shops like Gallatin Alpine Sports and Grizzly Outfitters can hook you up with trail maps, gear, bikes, and clothing. Grizzly also posts local mountain biking maps and current conditions. Need a tune up? Check out Brothel Bikes in the Meadow—where you can even have a beer while you wait.
If you’re a mountain biker, Big Sky has what you want and need. Grab your bike and come check out the mountain biking in Big Sky. You’ll love it here.
Derek Lennon is a skier and writer who lives, works, and plays in the mountains of the world. He is based in Big Sky, Montana, where he lives with his wife Mia and two dogs.
A version of this story was originally published on the Visit Big Sky blog at https://visitbigskymt.com/mountain-biking-big-sky/. Read more interesting content about the area on Visit Big Sky’s blog at https://visitbigskymt.com/category/blog/.