Welcome To MMBA

As Montana's special places are inventoried and public land usage plans are drafted, MMBA will keep this website updated with current information, specific deadlines and suggested responses. Join the Montana Mountain Bike Alliance for the latest updates and help spread the word!

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On June 16th the Gallatin National Forest Timeshare Plan goes into affect for the trails in the Bridger Mountains north of Bozeman.  The trails Middle Cottonwood to Sypes via the Foothill Trail and the "M" to Sypes are closed on opposing Saturday and Sunday so you can ride one or the other on a given weekend day.  The timeshare for the Hyalite Trails starts July 16th.  Don't be a dweeb - respect the closures.  MMBA passionately advocated for YOUR continued access to these great trails. 

See agreement history and Download Timeshare Matrix.


A new trail is being built this spring to Chestnut Mountain just east of Bozeman and will be rideable later this summer!  KUDOS to Gallatin Valley Land Trust and Trust for Public Lands for diligently working for ten years to arrange the easements and land swaps to make the trail possible.  The trail will start at the Trail Creek I-90 exit and climb to Chestnut Mountain - with expansion options to the south in the future.

See Map:  


This is HUGE - Trek, Specialized, SRAM and many others donate $600,000 to IMBA’s Public Lands Initiative to save our singletrack.

This is a FEEL GOOD MUST READ!

On April 7th the Gallatin National Forest released the interim summer use management strategy for the Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn (HPBH) Wilderness Study Area (WSA) south of Bozeman and east of Big Sky. Prompted by a court ruling, the GNF was mandated to rework the management of the WSA under the 2006 Travel Plan.

  The GNF has appealed the court decision but the appeals process can take 6 months to 2 years to be resolved with no guarantees of a different outcome.  The interim stategy goes into affect May 1st and will be in place until it is replaced by Congressional action - which could take another 33 years.

The new interim stategy drastically reduces the miles open to bicycles in the WSA. The coveted Gallatin Crest and most of the high country side trails are now closed to bicycles.
 Trails open to both bicycles and motorcycles were reduced from 70 miles to 40 and trails open to only mountain bicycles went from 170 miles to 20! This loss of alpine trail access is substantial and irresplaceable.  Front country trails are not a substitute for the backcountry access just lost.  Does the Gallatin Crest deserve permanent protection?  Absolutely!  But does it really all need to be protected from bicycles is the question?

We can thank the Wilderness plaintiffs, The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Wilderness Association and The Wilderness Society, for the initial lawsuit and subsequent testimony that threw bicycles under the motorized bus by repeatedly lumping bicycles in with motorized users for having the same impact on other users, wildlife and the landscape. They argued that mechanized is motorized to acheive their conservation goals. This anti-bicycle sentiment was mirrored in Judge Molloy’s ruling and the Forest Service had no choice but to manage bicycles as motorized or risk being in contempt of court.

The solution?  A grass roots collaboration to develop a legislative replacement to the HPBH WSA - much like the Conservation Management Area widely promoted up on the Rocky Mountain Front.  This conversation has already begun.  Stay tuned.

IMBA's WSA Press Release.

See new WSA MAP.

Read the GNF Press Release

Read Billings Gazette coverage.

Read Bozeman Chronicle coverage.

Watch the hearing of Senator Tester's Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (S.-1470) online.  Select the Energy and Natural Resources commitee, click on the Archived Webcasts link on the left navigation bar and search for December 17th and PUBLIC LANDS AND FORESTS SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1470.

An article in the new Dirt Rag Magazine highlights Montana’s access challenges. It is a good read and an important reality check for all who ride in the Big Sky Country.  Check it out here!

On November 13th the Gallatin National Forest released the Interim Management Strategy for Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area south of Bozeman and east of Big Sky and follows the directive from Judge Molloy's ruling concerning the WSA. The management strategy covers snowmobile use in the WSA which curtails use back to roughly the 1977 levels. This is a prelude to what will come next summer for mountain bike access to the great trails within the WSA . See directive.

A New York Times editorial article appearing in the 10/11/2009 print addition explores the Region 1 bike banning philosophy. Read NYT Article.

WSA LAWSUIT - Ruling on a lawsuit filed by the Montana Wilderness Assoiciation, The Greater Yellowstone Coalition and the Wilderness Society, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy states the Gallatin National Forest travel plan did not do enough to ensure the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area kept its wilderness characteristics. The ruling means that the Forest Service will have to revisit how the HPBH WSA is managed. Named as a threat to solitude in the lawsuit,  mounain bicycle access to the 220 miles on 36 alpine trails south of Bozeman and east of Big Sky that fall into the 155,000 acre WSA will again be on the table for possible closure - including trails in upper Hyalite and Porcupine drainages.  Read Chronicle Article  See Lawsuit

New West article posted online states MMBA position on Senator Tester's Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.  View Aritcle

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest draws economic development - Bicycle Style!  World-class backcountry singletrack threatened for closure in both the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Plan and Senator Tester’s Wilderness Bill inspired over 100 cyclists to make the drive to Lima, Montana to ride, camp, eat, drink, dance and make new friends in the name of mountain bike tourism and trail advocacy at the 2nd Annual Montana Backcountry Bicycle Festival on August 22nd & 23rd. Festival Report!

Senator Testor introduced a Wilderness Bill on Friday, July 17th.  Named the 'The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act', the bill combines the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership, Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Project, and the Three Rivers Challenge that affects the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the Blackfoot-Clearwater and the Yaak areas.  The bill does potentially close many trails to bicycle access. The introduction of this bill is not the end of the process of advocating for our trails.   The cycling community needs to stay involved as the bill works its way through Congress.  View Maps and Draft Language.

MMBA has a FACEBOOK page.  Become a FAN!

MMBA supports the continued efforts to build a aerial tram to Our Lady of the Rockies on Butte's east ridge.  Tram access to OLR would provide sight seeing pedestrians and bicycle enthusiasts a unique opportunity to enjoy the view and access the network of trails that radiate in all directions from the top.  With Butte being at the intersection of two interstate highways, the tram accessed mountain bike trails would draw cyclists from across the region.  The OLR tram has the potential of turning Butte into a world-class mountain bike destination.  Dream Big!

MMBA - Montana Standard newspaper full page ad, Sunday 6-21-09.  See Ad

With a pending Wilderness bill here in Montana, the topic of mountain bike tourism and the importance of protecting and promoting economically and historically important trail systems couldn't be a hotter issue.  Here's a BIKE magazine article from 2002 that features how promoting sustainable mountain bike trails in Wales saved economically depressed small villages across the country.  Read it and imagine how Montana town's like Philipsburg, Lima, Dillon, Hamilton, Thompson Falls,  Anaconda and a dozen others can benefit from the same mindset.

A three part article was posted on NewWest.net which tackles the issue of bicyle access, Wilderness and the future of roadless lands. A must read for all mountain bikers. READ IT and be part of the dialog! Part Two is out. Part Three too!

In its May 2009 issue BIKE Magazine published a HUGE feature on Montana's land access challenges to mountain bicycling. Go out and find a copy, or use the link below. All cyclists and recreationalists need to be part of the land conservation dialog and contribute to a solution for continued bicycle access combined with permanent Congressional protection of great trails on Montana's public lands. Read Article!

A new website devoted to bicycling and wilderness issues has been launched that contains great information on land conservation and bicycle access. Learn More!

An online Montana Mountain Bike network has been formed to serve as a place to forum, blog, post events, videos and photos of all things mountain biking in Montana. Check it out

A National Protection Area proposed for the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone would offer permanent protection for this spectacular area while allowing continued quiet trails for bicycles including the iconic Continental Divide Trail. Outside Bozeman Article Chronicle Article See Map

A comparison chart of permament Congression land protection options can be found HERE!

A National Park Service (NPS) regulation change will benefit Americans by improving mountain biking experiences in national parks. The new policy would empower park superintendents to manage trails for bicycles, without sacrificing environmental review or public comment opportunities. Learn More

Working Together to Protect Wild Lands
Local Montana mountain bike advocates, working with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), have been busy in recent months, meeting with Forest Service staff, elected officials and other stakeholder groups. The goal is to protect Montana's wild lands, and to preserve sustainable backcountry recreation experiences.
Learn More

News Flash: Cyclists explore the mountains of Montana in 1896 establishing ‘mountain’ biking as an integral piece of the Treasure State’s backcountry heritage and history. Explore Montana Bicycle History

Economic Impacts of Mountain Biking
Montana, rich in great trails, beautiful scenery and down-home hospitality, is ripe to profit from mountain bike tourism. Two recent studies reveal information that mountain bike recreation provides a green and sustainable economy for rural communities surrounded by public lands. The findings document the economic power of mountain biking and verify the potential benefits for towns like Butte, Dillon, Philipsburg, Hamilton, West Yellowstone and scores of others across the State.
$$$ MTB Economics $$$

Lawsuit threatens alpine riding and summer revenues for communities near Bozeman, Big Sky and West Yellowstone
In April 2007, Montana Wilderness Assoiciation, The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and subsequently, the Wilderness Society filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service that could negatively impact mountain biking opportunities in the Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area (HPBH WSA) south of Bozeman and east of Big Sky. With over 220 miles on 36 alpine trails and 155,000 acres, a blanket closure of the Gallatin Crest Trail system would be tragic.
Find out more.

Recent magazine article explores riding, hunting and land access issues in Montana.
A hunting by mountain bike article in the Fall issue of Outside Bozeman magazine describes riding in the HPBH WSA and the tradition of bike hunting up there. It contains great insights to the land access challenges on the horizon.
Read about MTB & backcountry hunting